Ultimatum
by Breezyfeather
Summary: He just returned from liberating Nethia from the threats of the Gundalians. Unfortunately, they aren't done with him. When Dan inadvertently plays right into Barodius's trap, he becomes their hostage, and the implications are world-shattering. None of the Brawlers-past or present-are getting out of this one unscathed. Post GI, takes place instead of MS.
1. Darkness

**A/N**

**For new readers, welcome! You can disregard this note!**

**For the rest of you, read on!**

**Yes, I have deleted the intro that was previously here, and I added a quote. I did this because I feel the tone of the intro conflicted with the tone of the story, and it created a jarring transition. So, instead, here is the story!**

* * *

><p><strong>"I used to roll the dice<br>Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes  
>Listen as the crowd would sing,<br>'Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!'**

**"One minute I held the key**  
><strong>Next the walls were closed on me<strong>  
><strong>And I discovered that my castles stand<strong>  
><strong>Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand"<strong>

**-Viva la Vida, Coldplay**

* * *

><p>Dan grimaced, his body stiffening. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool, salty sea breeze dancing through his window. It was saturated with humidity, however, carrying a warning for all those who decided to venture outside at this hour. Clouds covered the night sky so that not even a glint of light shone through, and even Dan would be able to tell that it would rain soon.<p>

Dan's fists clenched around the sheets, an involuntary movement that showed his distress. His instinct to run was overpowering all logical thought, but he couldn't move his legs. He couldn't move any part of him voluntarily, thanks to REM sleep.

Eerie, disturbing blackness surrounded him, suffocatingly close to his chest and limbs. He felt like the air was being squeezed from his lungs, and as though something were constricting around his neck. He let out a strangled groan, thrashing against the darkness, but not succeeding in throwing off whatever was restricting his movement. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but black, something that made him feel very, very vulnerable. Fearing that he was dead, he waved a hand in front of his face. He felt the breeze it made, a warm, salty and sticky breeze, but still a breeze. Dan sighed in relief that he wasn't dead, but the lack of the sense that he relied on most bothered him. No, it _terrified_ him.

Suddenly, a loud CRASH shook the air, and Dan felt himself falling. He was silent, unable to get his vocal cords to make the terrified sound he wanted. Horror descended upon him, realizing that even though he hadn't been dead before, surely this would be his death now. He desperately tried to flip over and reach the Baku-Meter on his wrist, but the deep red crystal was strangely absent, as was Drago, he now realized. Dan panicked, going completely limp as terror paralyzed him. This was it.

But then, as suddenly as he had begun to fall, he was yanked up. His previous momentum placed an uncomfortable strain on his body, but then it was gone. He had stopped.

Dan opened his eyes, slowly, blinking once he realized that he was safe. He glanced around, bringing his body into a somewhat upright position, except there was no ground underneath his feet. Once again he searched for some pinprick of light, something to show him that he was not alone. He found it a second later, when a familiar face appeared in front of his own.

Recognition was instant and accompanied by a sense of shock. The face was older than he had last seen it, but the blue eyes, pale skin, and blue hair gave all the clues he needed. The face wasn't smirking like it usually had been, instead appeared serious and urgent.

"But... you're..." Dan whispered, his voice coming out cracked and hoarse. The familiar smirk danced across her features as she watched him. "You're... dead!"

"Are you sure?" she asked, and the voice confirmed it. Five more ghostly figures appeared, surrounding Dan. He turned slowly, his wide eyes meeting several grave ones. Each figure, except for the one in red, looked considerably older than the last time he had seen them. Each one watched him with tired eyes, and ones that warned of danger. He knew who all of them were, and the serious look was very odd on almost all of their faces.

"Yeah, are you sure we're dead?" the one with long, silver hair asked, a smirk twisting it's way around his features.

Dan gulped, and then the figures dissolved, replaced by a rainbow light several meters away from him. Dan raised an arm to shield his eyes from the dazzling light, squinting against it. Code Eve.

He was relieved to perceive the reassuring presence, knowing that nothing bad would come to him now somehow. But instead of comfort blanketing him, confusion pierced him with the quote stated by her. "Support the strong, give courage to the timid, remind the indifferent, and warn the opposed."

Dan stared at the light, dumbstruck, and only regained his voice when the light intensified.

"What are you-" he gasped, but then he was falling again; falling, falling, falling in silence.

Dan gasped, jolting awake in his bed. He sat up in fear, panting and finding his whole body completely covered in sweat. His tee shirt that he wore to bed was completely soaked in his sweat and his hair was plastered to his forehead. His eyes darted around the room in fear, but when he realized that he was actually sitting, safe and sedentary, in his room, he relaxed, flopping back against the pillows in relief as he struggled to catch his breath.

His hands shook as he pushed his hair out of his eyes, and he glanced over at the clock. 4:40 AM. Dan groaned quietly and rolled over, finding the sticky tee shirt annoying. Deciding that he needed to change out of it, he sat up, rubbing at his eyes.

The brunette glanced at the red Bakugan ball on the windowsill. It was completely devoid of movement, inertia keeping it in place. Dan sighed, looking at the sleeping dragonoid and feeling his head pulse with a headache. He wished he could sleep like that, especially after the hard work of the past two days.

Dan had just returned from Nethia, after defeating Barrodius and the Gundalians. The decision to intercede in the battle between Nethia and Gundalia had probably been one of the wisest decisions he had made. He could easily say that without the help of the Brawlers, Nethia would have lost the war and their planet. He and the Brawlers had stayed there for a day after the final fight, feasting in celebration, and the next day repairs had begun on the kingdom. Queen Serena and Princess Fabia had given medals of honor to the four humans and Ren, as well as Fabia herself, for helping to settle the conflict between the two planets. They had helped get construction underway in the kingdom for the day, setting the pace for the many days of work ahead. Then he and the others had said their goodbyes, promising to meet again in the near future, and Aranaut had sent them back to Earth.

Dan just didn't understand how he hadn't slept like a rock. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was not wearing his Castle Knight uniform, as he had grown accustomed to doing. He had been prepared to battle for Nethia at a moments notice, even if it was at 2:00 in the morning(as it had once been). Even though he was used to taking the dawn patrol of the castle and the borders of the Third Shield with Shun, he had never awoken due to a nightmare.

The nightmare. Dan threw back the covers gently and swung his feet over the side of the bed, hobbling over to the chair in front of his desk. Lethargy had taken over his limbs and made it almost impossible to move, forcing Dan to grab onto the chair in order to avoid collapsing. His fingers closed around the durable white material of his Castle Knight uniform and, without thinking, he flung it over his shoulder.

He managed to summon enough strength to make it to the bathroom, where he flung the uniform on the floor and peeled off his sweat-soaked tee. From there he stripped of the rest of his garments and turned on the shower, pausing to take a moment to relieve himself and then proceeding to enjoy a cold shower to shake his incessant, now throbbing, headache.

The cold water had the desired effect, managing to both wake him up and banish the headache. With the sweat washed off his body, he felt rejuvenated, as if it had been siphoning him of his strength. He wiped the steam off the mirror, looking at his reflection as he yanked a comb through his hair. It was then that he realized that he had grabbed his Castle Knight uniform, apparently out of habit.

Dan sighed, looking at the Baku-Meter on his wrist and remembering how he had desperately sought it in his nightmare. At the thought of the dark expanse, stretching before him endlessly as he plunged through it, he shivered. Code Eve's words filtered through his mind, succeeding in chilling him more effectively than the cold shower. "Support the strong, give courage to the timid, remind the indifferent, and warn the opposed," he murmured.

"_Are you sure we're dead?_"

"_Yeah, are you sure_?"

Those two voices... Dan bit his lip. Why had they suddenly decided to haunt him, along with the images of his former enemies?

"Mylene... Shadow Prove," Dan mumbled, remembering the first two figures. "Lync... Volt... and Sid." The five had gathered around Dan for no reason that he could easily see, but he knew that there was something important about their appearance. He could feel it, and see it in his own reflected eyes. There was something going on, and his former enemies must play a part in it, Dan reasoned.

Quietly, Dan crept out of the bathroom, deciding to leave his discarded clothes in the hamper in the bathroom. He silently returned to his room, but paused in the doorway. He gently rested his hand on the wooden door frame, looking into the room. The loud patter of raindrops could be heard even from here, and Dan was tempted to close his window. However, he had a feeling that the rain wouldn't have too much of an impact on the Pyrus Bakguan on the sill, so he ducked out of the doorway and proceeded down the hall.

He quietly descended the staircase, thankful for the special shoes of Nethia. Not only were they durable and water-resistant, they were also lightweight and quiet. They didn't make a loud noise on the stairs, and he made it to the bottom without anyone coming down after him to see if there was an intruder.

Dan accessed the refrigerator before he left, making a point of grabbing a water bottle. He knew he would want one after his run, which he hoped would banish all remaining traces of adrenaline from his system. He wanted to sleep more, but even though the run would energize him, it would also tire him out, which he wanted.

The wayward boy didn't think to leave a note, knowing that he'd be back before anyone woke up and noticed he was missing.

Dan took the water bottle and silently walked over to the door, pulling it open and shutting it once he had stepped through. He turned around from facing the door and gasped, taking a startled step back when he saw none other than Emperor Barrodius standing in front of him, smirking. Dan blinked in shock, and then the figure was gone. Dan stared at the spot where the Gundalian had stood, then stepped forward again. His fingers tightened around the water bottle and he felt his heart race.

Dan shook his head, trying to brush off the encounter as a lingering fiber of his dream. He took a step off the porch and into the pouring rain, his hair instantly being pinned to his head. Grimacing at the surprisingly cold touch, Dan sighed, then started to jog. He was thankful once more for Nethia's Castle Knight uniform, as it was mostly water-resistant. If Dan were to be pulled underwater and the water somehow got under his clothes, then he would be wet, but the uniform blocked all raindrops from reaching his skin.

Dan easily loped down the street, the darkness not as intense and concentrated as it had been in his dream. Because of this and the many nightly patrols he had done while helping Nethia, Dan was able to avoid all obstacles in his way except for one black mailbox that he crashed into. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as he expected it to.

Before long, Dan found himself poised on a small arch bridge overlooking the ocean. The river beneath him gurgled, but it was barely heard due to the loud patter of raindrops on the trees and river itself. Dan opened the water bottle and took a long sip. His run had been longer than he was used to running, which had been the circumference of Nethia's castle twice, and he really only took this route when he took his bike anyway. It was a nice change, but it left him feeling even more devoid of energy than when he had woken up.

Dan sighed, watching the waters crawl up the banks and then recede a moment later, the floodwater's force unsuppressed. With a grin, Dan regained his breath, and started to turn to go back to the house and get the sleep he deserved.

But as soon as he had turned, he had found himself engulfed in blackness again. He froze, his eyes shooting around wildly. "No, not this again," Dan groaned, moving a hand to wipe his eyes, but he finding he could not move it. Dan's eyes widened and he felt horror growing in his stomach as he pulled and twisted, realizing that all of his limbs were bound.

A sadistic, evil laugh filled the air, and Dan instantly recognized it. He panicked, as once the chilling laugh faded, it was completely silent. The rain had stopped, no sound came from Dan's desperate struggles, and not even his own voice cut through the silence. Dan could feel adrenaline pierce through him, warning him to run, to struggle, to get free, but no matter how much he conveyed his desire—no, his need—to get free, nothing happened. The binds just grew tighter and tighter until he felt like needles were being driven into his skin.

His struggled were strenuous, and in the end, futile as well. He just couldn't gain the energy he needed. He gasped for air, his body going limp. He panted in that position for a moment, trying to summon more energy.

"Found you, Kuso." A growled, raspy voice cut through the darkness, making Dan stiffen. His dynamic struggling continued, becoming more panicked rather than concentrated, but he couldn't seem to get free from the bonds. His eyes widened as the voice registered in his mind. No, it was impossible! The voice... it was impossible that the owner of that voice could still be alive! But Dan knew it was true.

"Cease your pathetic struggles, boy. Dawdling won't get you anywhere," another voice chimed in, one that equaled the horror Dan felt from the first, and he wished that this was all a dream.

"No!" Dan shouted, understanding now that he was in big trouble if he didn't break free of the vision and get away. He thrashed and kicked, writhed and struggled, but once again, the bonds didn't yield. A laugh echoed through the darkness and Dan flinched, then found himself falling again. He gasped, a rush of brightness stunning him as he yelled in pain.

After a moment, he opened his eyes, shocked to find himself flying through a Dimensional Gate. He closed his eyes, a searing pain ripping through them as his pupils shrank to compensate for the extremely bright Dimensional Gate. As he became aware of his solicitude, he slowly became accustomed to the light, but flashes of his previous vision haunted him from behind his closed eyelids. He grimaced, convulsing so that his knees were against his chest and his hands on his head. He made small, choked whimpers unconsciously, perceiving flashes of purple tendrils, glowing eyes, and smirking, devious faces.

After a few moments, he was able to slowly open his eyes. The light burned, but instead of succumbing completely, he squinted, trying to make out the end of the Gate. He knew it would be pointless to think about his dumb decisions, because he had to be ready for whatever he would have to face. Dan definitely never expected this, especially so soon after he had gotten back from Nethia. He only hoped that friendly forces would be greeting him.

Just as he was beginning to think that the fluorescent tunnel would never end, he felt himself dropping. With a gasp, he accidentally flipped over so that his head was underneath the rest of his body. With a yell of surprise, he plunged head first into a body of freezing cold water. His whole body was instantly submerged and it seemed that the gravity of this place was no different than that of Earth. After a moment, Dans head broke the surface and he gasped for air, feeling a strong current threaten to yank him under once more. He started to tread water desperately, shaking his head forcefully to dislodge his now soaking wet hair from his eyes.

Thanks to the luminescence of the Gate, Dan found it almost impossible to see anything that wasn't a few inches from his face, which was why he almost missed the rock that was sticking up in the middle of the river. He instantly grabbed at it, only relaxing when he hugged the freezing rock to his chest. The movement caused part of his uniform to be dislodged from his chest, and water seized the opportunity to flood his clothes. Within seconds he was soaked from the inside out, shivering, and even more miserable than he had been before.

He clung there for a few moments, trying to blink away the flashbulb affect that impaired his vision. He was aware that sight would be extremely important in this situation, especially since it looked like it was midnight on Gundalia here. Maybe he was on Gundalia, he thought hopefully. Maybe Ren had summoned him for help repairing the ravaged planet.

But things started not to add up. There were no rivers in Gundalia that he knew of, and he could easily say that on Gundalia, you couldn't see the stars. Especially not purple constellations that looked so similar to the ones visible on a certain familiar planet...

Dan strained his eyes for the bank, spotting it a few feet away. Maybe if he could let go of the rock and swim in that direction, he'd be able to grab onto the bank and haul himself out, he thought. He was so exhausted he was willing to try anything at this point, but he figured that if he could just come up with even a hint of a plan, he would be in better shape than if he had none.

Dan narrowed his eyes at the bank, relaxing his grip on the rock. He could feel the current tugging at his uniform, but he ignored it as he focused on his target. There was a root sticking out of the bank about a foot, and looked sturdy enough for him to grab. If he missed it, he would have a tough time finding another way to get out of the water.

He stared at it for a moment, then stiffened as he prepared to push off. He summoned as much excess energy as he could, then shifted his position on the rock so that his back was to the root. He twisted his torso and watched it struggle with the current, then braced his feet against the rock. A second later, he launched himself at the bank, his arm reaching as far out as he could get it to. His fingers closed around the root as his body was slammed into the bank.

Dan gasped as the wind was forced out of him and his fingers slipped, and he felt himself being pulled under water. It took all of his concentration not to suck in water like it was air, and when his head broke the surface he gulped oxygen like a mad man. He coughed and sputtered as he struggled to remain above the surface, finding himself exhausted way too soon.

His limbs ached with lethargy and his uniform was heavy now that it was wet. He could feel his legs and arms burning, but he knew he couldn't stop. If he stopped fighting, he'd be pulled under, and that would be the end. He couldn't let it end like that, even though at this point, it sounded very tempting.

Suddenly, his back slammed against the bank, earning a pained grunt from the teen as his eyes closed in pain. He felt his body going limp again, and this time he decided that he wouldn't fight the current. He was just too exhausted, to effete, to continue in his struggles. The water tore at his legs, sucking him back into the river, but not before a hand could close around the collar of his uniform.

He winced at the resistance, his eyes closed. For a moment, he just lay there, his savior's had clutching his collar, and then he felt himself being pulled toward the bank. Hands worked their way under his arms and hauled him up, and Dan could perceive pointed nails digging into his chilled skin even through the protective uniform. He groaned as his back was pressed against a heavily clothed chest, alerting Dan that his savior was a boy.

He was laid gently on the ground and he moaned, curling onto his side instinctively. His arms and legs were sprawled out limply on the ground, but Dan didn't care. He shook with the chill of the water and coughed, spitting out water as he gasped for breath.

"Why did the Gate open over the river?" a raspy voice asked.

"Well sorry! It's hard to control it when you're exhausted!" an angry, feminine voice snapped.

"I didn't expect it to be so simple to get him here, did you?" a third, cocky voice quipped.

"Well the vision was supposed to weaken him, and it worked." The feminine voice sounded much more self-satisfied now.

"It was definitely easier than fighting him," a deeper yet still raspy voice stated simply. Dan opened his eyes slightly, looking up above him with a half open mouth as he let out a small groan. The figures standing above him were blurred, but after blinking a few times they sharpened into figures he knew. His eyes shot open in horror as he stiffened and started to sit up. His efforts earned him a sharp kick in the side and he let out a "gak!", falling onto his back.

"How nice of you to join us, _Kuso_," a smirking voice hissed. Dan's lip curled as he propped himself up on his arms. He glared up at the sneering, purple-and-black-clad Gundalian, rubbing water from his chin.

"Barodius," he spat.

* * *

><p><strong>Review!<strong>


	2. Resistance

"**If you don't have enemies, you don't have character," -Paul Newman**

* * *

><p>"I didn't expect you to be so easy to get a hold of, boy," Barodius smirked, stepping toward Dan. The brunet stiffened, his eyes widening, as he looked around. His eyes flicked from Barodius's face to Kazarina's, and then Gill, Stoica, and Airzel's. Disbelief flooded is senses as he scrambled to find some sort of logical reasoning behind these events. How was this possible?<p>

"Wait," he protested, clenching his fists, as his eyes met Kazarina's. He quickly glanced away, meeting Airzel's gaze instead. "How the heck are you still alive?"

"Well you certainly don't waste any time," Kazarina muttered. Dan glared at her, shaking his head to dislodge the wet clumps of hair that were stuck there.

"I'm assuming that Princess Fabia told you about what happened on Gundalia?" Gill asked, crossing his arms. Dan didn't answer, instead glancing toward the gray skinned Pyrus brawler out of the corner of his eye.

"We didn't actually die," Airzel said curtly, a hand on his hip as he started the explanations.

"Yeah, it's much harder to get rid of us," Stoica quipped, earning a glare from Dan.

"We were transported away by the Sacred Orb," Gill said shortly, wanting to be brief with the explanations so that they could put Dan where he wouldn't be a problem. "The rest does not matter."

"Oh, are you sure?" Kazarina smirked. Gill shot her a look, which she either ignored or didn't notice. "But and then again... I suppose that watching him squirm from ignorance is rather amusing."

"What do you want?" Dan demanded. "You can't have the power of the Sacred Orb, we beat you! And besides, Drago's not even here." Dan smirked, glad to have at least that comfort. "Your plan backfired, Barodius."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, boy," Barodius sneered. Dan's smirk vanished slowly and his eyes narrowed, unsure where the Gundalian Emperor was going with this. He glanced from face to face, taking in the telltale smirks that gave away more than words alone. But even so, it still took him a moment to realize what they were implying. His eyes widened and he let out a small gasp, stiffening out of instinct.

He hissed, searching for a gap in their circle around him. Kazarina laughed while Stoica smirked, Airzel letting out a satisfied grunt and Gill's mouth curling into a demonic grin as Dan's angered gaze shot from side to side. He forced himself to summon energy, to find a way to fight back. He couldn't let himself be kept at the mercy of these Gundalians, for he knew the price they would charge his friends for his return.

He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, as he identified the gap behind him in between Gill and Airzel. He knew without a doubt that if they should figure out what he was planning, or if he were a moment to slow, he wouldn't even stand a chance at escaping. He knew he probably didn't stand a chance at escaping anyway, especially in his weakened state, but he couldn't just let himself give up. He had already show his weakness to them through the water, and he couldn't afford to show them any more. He had to show them that he was strong, that Dan Kuso wouldn't be going down without a fight.

Barodius smirked, kneeling down in front of the defiant teen. Dan glared him in the eyes, his eyes suddenly widening when a clawed hand closed around his neck. Dan choked, his hands instantly flying to Barodius's wrist. He pushed against it, trying to turn his head away. Airzel and Gill watched, unconcerned, while Stoica and Kazarina seemed to take more feral stances. Sadistic grins crept up on both of their faces, but Dan didn't see.

"Let... go..." Dan choked, squinting at the Gundalian emperor. The hand on his throat tightened, earning a strangled groan from the boy.

"Don't you dare resist," the man hissed, suddenly very serious. He was close enough to Dan that he could smell his putrid breath, and Dan grimaced as he struggled for oxygen. "If you resist me, I promise you..." The fingers tightened even more, and Dan could feel himself becoming very dizzy, very fast. "You will regret it more than anything else," Barodius hissed, pulling the boy forward and then pushing him toward the ground. Dan gasped, his head bouncing off the hard packed dirt. He instantly propped himself up on his hands and knees, coughing and gasping for air.

"Airzel, Stoica, take him to his quarters," Barodius growled, standing up and glaring down at Dan. Dan panted hard, swallowing after a few seconds, as he struggled to regain his normal breathing pattern. "Make sure he knows his place." Stoica grabbed Dan's wrist, earning an anger fueled resistant slap across the face from his free hand.

Dan yanked his hand back from him and twisted, pushing off the ground away from the two Gundalians. Stoica was now sitting, surprised, on the ground, while Airzel stared at Dan's daring in disbelief. Gill, Kazarina and Barodius had turned away but looked back at the sound of the commotion. Dan's shoes slipped on the wet bank, making him gasp as his foot flew out from under him. Somehow, though, he managed to still keep ahead of Airzel, who was grabbing at his back.

"Get back here!" he shouted. Dan could feel his strength quickly ebbing, dizziness washing over him as he still hadn't recovered his breath, and the next thing he knew, there was no ground beneath his feet. He gasped, his chest slamming into the river again. He bit his lip as he immediately started swimming for the surface, his chest burning. When his face broke the thin surface, he let out a loud gasp for air.

"Get him out of there!" Barodius ordered as Dan was swept down stream, flailing in his desperate attempts to remain above the surface.

Dan squinted to keep the water from splashing into his eyes while he splashed about, his arms and legs burning from the exertion. He spit out water every few seconds, and he caught a fleeting glance of something blue to his right. The color vanished a second later, though, and Dan's body was flipped so that he was being swept downstream backwards. He didn't bother trying to correct it, hoping to get as far away from Barodius and the others as possible.

But of course that wouldn't be the case, as a splash sounded from behind him. Dan glanced back, swallowing a mouthful of water. He coughed, his stomach turning. Trying to drink in air, he reached for the bank. His fingers clawed at the rocks, making him grimace. Dan's left shoulder crashed into an outcropping, earning a pained yell from him. He kept reaching for a hand hold, however, his nails feeling like they could be ripped out of his fingertips at any second despite the gloves preventing that.

Then an arm hooked itself around Dan's torso, startling the boy. A quick glance behind him revealed the person to be Stoica, who was grimacing at the current as they were swept away from the bank. Dan stared at him with tired, perplexed eyes for a brief second, then struggled, his fingers prying at Stoica's iron grip. A hand smacked him upside the head and Dan let out a startled gasp before shaking his head to clear it.

"Will you knock it off? I'm trying to help!" Stoica snarled. Dan doubted that, but held his tongue. Water rushed over his mouth and nose, making him arch his neck toward the sky in order to keep breathing.

The two continued to be swept downstream, Stoica's clawed fingers scraping at the rocky bank. By now, Dan and Stoica were both beyond soaked, but Stoica didn't seem to care. Dan closed his eyes and let himself float in the water, knowing it would be stupid to struggle. It was over.

"Bakugan brawl! Rise Ventus Strikeflyer!" Dan and Stoica both looked up, Stoica looking mad and Dan groggy. The large Ventus Bakugan shot toward the two soaked males, reaching out a hand. It didn't take very long for it to slip under Dan and Stoica and lift them out of the river, prompting Stoica to let go of the rebellious brunette. Dan collapsed in Strikeflyer's hand, panting and shaking from exertion.

"It's going to be irritating if he keeps this up," Gill muttered after he had jumped down from Strikeflyer's shoulder. Dan squinted at him, managing a defiant glare even through his weakened state, as the red haired man walked up to him. "Kazarina! Can't you just knock him out?" Dan hissed, starting to force himself up on his hands and knees, but Stoica pushed him back down. Dan winced when a foot came down on his back, forcing the air out of his lungs.

"Sorry Gill," she said, looking annoyed as she approached the group, "but I just used up most of my energy trying to open a Gate to transport the most irritating human alive into our presence. You're just going to have to take him to his quarters and lock the doors. Maybe stand guard with your Bakugan if you think that he's gonna try to escape again."

"I think that's highly unlikely now," Airzel muttered. "He's exhausted." Dan sighed, feeling really cold, hungry, and miserable. Airzel was right that he was exhausted, and Dan knew he wouldn't be fighting them any time soon. His limbs ached and his head pounded, lingering traces of the vision beginning to flash before his eyes. He gasped, earning the glances of the Gundalians, as he curled his body in a "C" shape, clutching his head. He let out several choked noises to show his distress, and Kazarina's sadistic laugh reached his ears.

"That's what you get for resisting," she cackled, making Dan squint at her in a pathetic attempted to show his hatred for the blue skinned Gundalian. Strikeflyer began to glow then, and he swirled back into a ball. Dan fell the few feet to the ground and landed with a "thump" and a groan. Stoica and Kazarina smirked at him while Gill crossed his arms, and Airzel just put a hand on his hip.

"He's obviously not going to make it that far," Barodius growled, scowling at the Pyrus Brawler. "One of you are going to have to carry him. Once he's locked up join me in my quarters, we have something we need to discuss. Kazarina, Gill, I'd like to speak with you for a moment before we depart.

"Yes Sire," Gill said, earning annoyed glances from Kazarina and Stoica. Barodius frowned at Dan, then turned, heading away from him with his head held high. From there, Gill took charge.

"Airzel, Stoica, you should get going. Kazarina, you might want to join them, just in case he get's out of hand again," Gill muttered, shooting a pointed look at Dan, who was struggling to prop himself up on his hands and knees. Dan glared over at them, fighting his urge to just collapse and sleep.

"Why do I get stuck on guard duty?" Stoica complained, dramatically gathering up his sopping hair and making a show out of squeezing the water out of it. "I just want to get a hot shower and some dry clothes!" He continued loudly protesting while Airzel approached him and Dan. Airzel somehow managed to get the boy onto his back, draping his arms over his shoulders. Dan rested his chin awkwardly against Airzel's shoulder, earning a grunt from the man.

"Thank you for your generosity, Gill," Kazarina said, looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, "but I think I'll join you and the emperor. I don't think the boy is foolish enough to try anything else, are you, Dan?" Dan's lip curled at her comment and she smirked at him. Dan glanced away, wishing he wasn't as weak as he was, and Kazarina made an annoyed face. "Oh how I wish you weren't just being smart," she grumbled, turning away. Dan smirked at that remark. "And besides, Gill, the emperor specifically requested myself as well as you." Dan rolled his eyes at Kazarina and Gill's petty arguments, but proceeded to stiffen when Airzel began to walk.

"Calm down, will you?" the man growled. "You're not going anywhere, and if you don't do anything stupid you won't get hurt. At least, for now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with yet," Airzel replied cooly.

"You seem to have this pretty well planned out, don't you?" Dan muttered, his fists clenching.

"What, you didn't think we'd just randomly single you out and transport you to another dimension, did you?" The smirk was evident in Stoica's voice and Dan suppressed a groan. Stoica was so annoying. Dan chose not to respond and Stoica took it as an opportunity to continue with his jibes. "You're the one that caused us to fall," the Gundalian growled. Dan glanced in his direction at his sudden change of tone.

"Ren was the one that betrayed us in the end," Airzel reminded him and Dan noticed how the man stiffened and his hands tightened on Dan's ankles. "However, you and your friends were the ones that caused him to turn his back on the emperor."

"Not even Princess Fabia seemed like a better target than the one who caused us to lose," Stoica sneered at Dan, whose lip curled in anger. "Dragonoid Colossus chose you, and Drago absorbed all of our other targets. You caused us to fail, since you and Drago battled as one."

"And you took me without him because you want his power?" Dan asked darkly. Stoica glanced at Airzel, a movement that only took a split second and clearly wasn't meant to be revealed to Dan, but Dan noticed. That was all the information he needed and he tightened his fists. "When I get out of this..."

"Who said you're getting out of this?" Stoica smirked and Dan started to struggle. He braced his hands on Airzel's shoulders and started to push away. He stopped a few seconds later though, when Airzel's claws dug into his flesh and he felt like he was about to pass out.

"Hmph," Airzel grunted, clearly irritated. Stoica looked like he was enjoying himself, however, and Dan angrily growled, not lifting his gaze from the cunning blue clad man.

They traveled in silence for a while, and Dan glanced around curiously when they reached a modern looking building. More than modern, actually. Dan's eyes widened when he took in the Vestal technology on doors and the white streets that seemed to weave around the structure.

"This is..." he whispered, twisting his head so that he could get a better look at his surroundings. Lighted screens were flashing ads into the coming dawn, the voices that usually accompanied them silenced by the lingering darkness. "New Vestroia?"

"This isn't the planet you call New Vestroia," Airzel said bluntly. He didn't bother to explain any further, not that Dan expected him to, but Dan recognized the Vestal technology. He wondered if Mira and the others had found a different planet to colonize. One that didn't already have inhabitants, like the Bakugan.

A few hover cars were parked on the side of the road, and it was toward one that Airzel and Stoica now headed, their bodies beginning to glow. Dan gasped at the tingling that touched his front and arms, making him shiver, as Airzel and Stoica changed into their human forms.

Stoica wore his black shirt and jeans like Ren's, his wavy brown hair secured in a very low ponytail. Airzel was sporting a forest green tank top that showed off his muscles and a pair of jeans like Ren's. His skin was dark like Ren's, and his hair remained the same, still pulled up in a high pony tail above his neck.

The two headed to one of the floating cars and Stoica ducked inside. Airzel let go of Dan, hurrying to catch the teen before he sank to his knees. Dan was grudgingly grateful as Airzel helped him into the car, forcing him to sit in between Stoica and himself.

"Input destination please," the robot in front of them said. Dan remembered the time when he demanded it to take them to the BT System, and it had told him that he didn't have the correct authorization for the destination. Mira had hacked it and then it took them there, but it almost cost them their lives.

"Take us to the Muphrid entrance," Airzel growled, snapping Dan out of his memory, and the robot responded by closing the door to the car.

"Please buckle up," it said, a command that no one obeyed. It lurched forward, startling Dan slightly, but he quickly just leaned forward, resting his head in his hands.

_Fabia is so going to kill me for this_, he thought, shivering as the air conditioning turned on and blasted his soaking neck. _I wonder if Drago's woken up yet_. Dan sighed, wondering how he could have possibly gotten himself into this mess. This was a serious problem, because this was not only going to end with violence, it would either end with Drago fighting Dharak, or with a blade to his own throat. At first, it didn't seem like Drago and Dharak fighting was much of a problem, since Drago had just evolved with Code Eve's powers, and therefore Drago was at an advantage, but with Dan in the custody of the Gundalians that backed that Bakugan, the chances of getting out of this with both himself and Drago alive were really slim.

Or at least, that was what he could gather. When he had received the energy that fueled his evolution into Infinity Dragonoid, Wayvern had had to die in order to give it to him. The same was true for Perfect Dragonoid and Cross Dragonoid, and also Lumino Dragonoid. The giver of the powers died in all of those special evolutions. He wasn't even sure if Code Eve was still alive after giving Drago the power of the Sacred Orb.

Dan knew it would be stupid to deny that Drago and the others would be stuck now that he was in the custody of the emperor. He was aware that as long as he was at their mercy, Drago and their friends would do anything for his safety. He knew it, Drago knew it, and Barodius knew it.

The price would be the power that Drago possessed. It would be a trade, he knew. Himself for Drago's powers. Thinking about it now, he probably wouldn't have a chance to defend the powers in a battle. Barodius and the others would make sure of that, just as they had made sure of his weakness before isolating him from his friends.

Dan groaned, gathering his strength into sitting up and slamming his fist onto his knee. "How could I be so stupid?" he hissed under his breath. Stoica and Airzel watched him while resting their heads on their fists, eyes narrowed, as he started shaking with anger and exertion. "How could I have let myself get tricked into this?" he whispered. _Why did I go outside? That was what they wanted! I played right into their hands, and now_... Dan's heated gaze softened as he stared at his fist. It relaxed unconsciously. He twisted his wrist and opened his fist, staring at the gloved palm of his hand. "And now..." he murmured.

After a moment of staring at his hands, he sighed, sitting up and leaning back against the seat. He closed his eyes only to gasp and have them shoot open again. He stiffened, his back arching, as flashes of purple light and explosions assaulted him, overpowering his senses. Before he knew it he was yelling, making both Airzel and Stoica jump.

"What the heck?" Stoica cried. "Is that witch messing with him again?"

"She shouldn't be, the emperor won't be pleased with her," Airzel growled. "Hey!" He grabbed Dan's arm and shook him, but the boy didn't seem to notice the touch. "Snap out of it!"

"Drago!" Dan shouted. "No, get away from me! Let go! Drago!"

"What is he going on about?" Stoica snarled. "Hey! Kuso, wake up!" Stoica's hand came down on Dan's shoulder hard enough to bruise him, but instead of responding to the hit the way he wanted, Dan suddenly relaxed. His eyes went blank and his body leaned forward as he let out a small groan. Airzel and Stoica both grabbed at him to keep him from falling over and the teen leaned to the side, against Stoica.

"What was that about?" the Aquos battler asked a few seconds later, sounding annoyed.

"I'm not sure," Airzel growled. "But it doesn't look like he's going to be waking up any time soon." Dan's eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted, and his body was completely limp. His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his skin was suddenly very pale.

The car slowed to a stop just then, and the doors lifted up. Airzel and Stoica looked at each other, nodded, and then began to exit the car. Stoica leaned back in to pull Dan out, holding the boy bridal style. Airzel came around the back of the car and led Stoica across the street toward a single entrance to the compound.

It was silver, made entirely of metal. There were no windows. The door was locked with a six digit code from the outside and a nine digit code from the inside to ensure that the contents inside was not removed without the correct authorization. The building had an advanced security system, one that the Gundalians were prepared to make use of. Doors inside were fortified with steel and a few other metals, and intricate codes that contained both roman letters, numbers, and Vestal symbols. There would be no chance for him to escape.

Airzel easily unlocked the front door and led Stoica through a maze of metal doors and hallways, finally arriving at a hall that had doors at each end. Airzel punched in the code that would unlock the door and Stoica walked through, shooting glares at the five young adults that parted to let him through. He openly expressed a hatred for the one with blond hair by kicking at his legs, but he jumped away and glowered back at him.

The one with blue hair's eyes widened when she caught sight of the unconscious boy in his arms, recognition flashing instantly. It was an expression that was mirrored by the rest of the people in the hall, especially the light-pink haired teen. She started forward but was stopped by the silver haired boy's hand on her wrist. She turned to look at him in surprise and to ask why he stopped her, but he was looking warily yet angrily at Airzel. She followed his gaze and noted the green electricity coursing down his hand, taking an annoyed step back. He nodded at her, showing that she had made the correct decision, and followed Stoica after locking the hallway door behind him.

Stoica opened a door halfway down the hall and walked through with Dan, followed closely by Airzel. He laid the boy on the bed that was against one wall and stood back, watching him slowly inhale and exhale. He was still completely soaked and looked very pale.

"He doesn't look so good. He looks kinda like Jake did after Kazarina calmed him down enough to hypnotize him," Stoica muttered.

"He'll be fine," Airzel stated. "He'd better be. If he's not, it's gonna be a problem. Now let's go, the emperor is waiting for us." He turned and exited the room, followed swiftly by Stoica. The brawlers in the hallway watched them depart with narrowed eyes, and as soon as the door at the end slid shut and beeped to announce it was locked, the blue haired girl made a beeline for Dan's room. The rest of the brawlers followed, finding the blue haired girl kneeling by Dan's bed.

"What happened to him?" the muscled blond asked. The cruel bluenett didn't answer.

"It looks like they tried to drown him!" the blue eyed boy exclaimed.

"Or he jumped in the river to get away," the tall, muscled Vestal said, crossing his arms.

"Dan," the blue haired girl whispered. "Wake up. You're amongst friends now."

"He's out cold, he's not waking up any time soon," the blond muttered. "I wonder what the Emperor wants with him," he mumbled, moving on.

"Dan?" the girl asked, shaking him gently. He grimaced, moaning. She took the response as a positive sign, but glanced at her boyfriend before doing anything else. He shrugged and she gently shook his shoulder. "Come on, wake up," she whispered, seeming much more gentle than a few years before.

Dan's face screwed up in an expression of pain, but then he squinted. His vision was blurry at first, and it took a moment for him to focus. The girl muttered to one of the boys to turn off the lights but Dan shook his head.

"N-no," he croaked, and everyone was silent. "You don't have to," he coughed, "do that." He forced his eyes open, and when his vision focused on the girls face, the first thing he recognized was the bright aqua hair. His eyes widened, and he started to sit up, but the silver haired boy next to her forced him back down. He stared at him in shock, and then at the girl in shock. His eyes darted from her pale skinned, blue eyed face to the familiar faces of those gathered around him. Once he realized who he was looking at, he gasped, and then turned back to the girl with blue eyes.

"But, aren't you-" he whispered hoarsely, grabbing at his chest. "Mylene?"

* * *

><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	3. Seeking Help

"**It's the little things that matter, that add up in the end, with the priceless thrilling magic found only in a friend," - Elizabeth Dunphy**

Drago floated on the lightening side walk, his wings flapping back and forth rhythmically. Miyoko Kuso stood to his side, her hands clasped over her heart as she watched the sky. Her eyes continued to follow a single helicopter as it slowly circled around the city, searching for someone close to her heart. Dan's father, Shinjiro Kuso, had left early in the morning and was unaware of the events that had taken place in the early hours of the morning, even though Miyoko had tried his cell phone several times after reaching the police. The police themselves were investigating the surrounding area, searching for the leader of the Battle Brawlers and or any trace of him. A few were still inside the house, having asked Miyoko to leave so that they could continue their investigation without worrying about her getting in the way.

Drago floated over to Miyoko, landing gently on her shoulder. She glanced down at the Pyrus Bakugan, then looked back up at the clearing sky. The rain had stopped just after six in the morning, when they realized Dan was missing, leaving the world with a clean, fresh scent that deceived everyone.

Drago had woken up at the usual time that Dan did to eat breakfast with the Nethian princess and the other Castle Knights. He had looked down at Dan's bed and was surprised at the teen's absence, wondering if Dan had gone out for a run, or if he had simply gotten up to take a shower. When Drago pointed out to Miyoko that Dan wasn't in his bed, Miyoko had commented that it was odd, and that she hadn't heard the water running. His shoes weren't missing, but Drago realized that Dan's Castle Knight uniform had disappeared. This confused both him and Miyoko, as Dan shouldn't have worn such a strange garment (to humans) out in broad daylight.

They waited a half hour to see if Dan returned, and Drago started to get an odd feeling, one that he knew too well. It was the feeling he got right before a surprise attack was launched on the brawlers, or right before something bad was revealed to them by their enemies. There was no mistaking what it meant. He had told Miyoko to call the police and report a missing person, and Miyoko obliged, trusting Drago. She had been very scared for Dan and before the police arrived, Drago comforted her, saying that it probably wasn't anything serious. But he knew differently.

After being questioned by the police for a half hour, they had sent out teams to search, and even issued airplanes to get an areal view of the town. Drago hoped they would find Dan. He hoped that his feeling was wrong, but as more time passed, he became more and more sure that some outside force had forcefully taken Dan.

But the facts just didn't add up. Dan had grabbed his Castle Knight uniform, which suggested that he had gone willingly, perhaps back to Nethia or Gundalia. However, that seemed unlikely. Dan would have taken Drago with him if Nethia needed more help. Especially so if he had taken his Castle Knight uniform, or all the garments he had. Drago knew that the Castle Knight uniform had properties that made it durable and strong, but it was best suited for battle, and even had technology that helped enhance their skills, like the Baku-Meter.

Drago considered the possibility that a different force had abducted Dan, hoping to find a strong soldier to fight for their side, like Ren and the Gundalians had done with the brawlers from Bakugan Interspace. But the fact that Dan had taken a garment made that seem unlikely as well, and if Dan had had time to grab an article of clothing, he also would have had time to grab Drago.

Miyoko let out a small sound when the helicopter scouting the city started heading in the other direction, toward the airport, and Drago was pulled from his thoughts. He looked up at Miyoko, noticing how nervous she looked. She was biting her lip so hard that it was white and her jaw was stiff, showing that she didn't plan on releasing her lip. Her hand was clasped tight around a string that poked out of the side of her fist, and her eyes were anxiously glued to the helicopter.

"Excuse me. Mrs. Kuso, is it?" Miyoko jumped, turning to face the police officer behind them. Drago looked him over, taking in his dark skinned face. He had dark brown eyes and short brown hair, cropped in a buzz cut. His blue police uniform was crisply ironed and his pants weighed down with his weaponry, however his belt kept them up. Drago eyed the holster warily out if instinct, but turned his gaze back up to the grim expression on the police officer's face.

"Yes?" Miyoko asked, looking up because the officer was taller than she was.

"Will you please come inside? We've found a few things that we'd like to discuss with you," he told her.

"Oh, okay," she obliged, following as he turned and led the way into the house. Drago floated over Miyoko's shoulder, noticing how her gait was similar to Dan's.

"I'm Jefferson, by the way," the officer told them. "I specialize in missing person cases." He stopped and turned, offering his hand to shake. Miyoko took it and he nodded at her. Then he led her into the kitchen, gesturing at the chair. She took a seat and Drago landed on the table among several sealed evidence bags. Jefferson remained standing, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, as his eyes found the small marble-like creature.

"Is that Bakugan?" he asked. Miyoko blinked at him in surprise and Drago glanced back at her.

"I-I'm sorry," she said after a moment of silence. "I'm not used to people recognizing Drago. Most of them that know what he is are Bakugan battlers at Interspace, but you don't seem..." Jefferson shook his head.

"No, I don't battle. My son did, though," he told them.

"Did he?" Drago asked, making Jefferson jump. He stared at Drago in surprise.

"Drago!" Miyoko said, shocked at the rudeness of the normally polite Pyrus Bakugan. "I'm sorry, he's not usually like this." Drago sighed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," he apologized, knowing that he shouldn't be nasty even though he was worried about his brawler.

"I-it's alright," Jefferson forced a smile. "My son told me about the talking Bakugan. I didn't believe him until they started to invade Earth all those years ago, even though he showed me that white Bakugan on a video chat... He was always talking about the Bakugan Battle Brawlers." Drago looked up at him, taking in his wistful expression as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "My son told me about this one time when he was in the hospital, and the leader of the Battle Brawlers himself came to visit him—"

"You're Joe Brown's father?" Drago gasped. Jefferson jumped, blinking at the Bakugan that concealed his great powers within a small marble. Drago jumped up, floating in front of Jefferson's face.

"Uh, yes, my name is Jefferson Brown," the officer nodded, crossing his eyes to look at Drago. "How do you know him?"

"Dan is the leader of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers," Miyoko explained. "He told me about meeting Joe, and I've met him before as well. He had a Bakugan named Wavern, right Drago?"

"Yes," Drago nodded. "She had to sacrifice her life in order to save your world."

"Yeah, Joe told me about that," Jefferson said softly. "He was very upset."

"Does Joe live in Bayview?" Drago asked next.

"No, his mother has custody over him," Jefferson told them. "He comes to visit sometimes, and we'll usually talk online. But that aside, we have a few things we'd like to show the two of you."

"Oh, yes, of course," Miyoko stammered, clasping her hands under the table. Jefferson walked over to the table, picking up the larger of the two bags. He held it up and looked at the two of them gravely.

"We found this in the hamper under the sink in the bathroom closest to Dan's room," he announced. "It's a nightshirt, and when we found it, it was completely soaked in what we believe is sweat."

"Sweat?" Miyoko asked, confused. Drago was silent, thinking.

"Yes," Jefferson told them. "And the shower was wet. In fact, when we looked in the hamper, this and a pair of shorts and undergarments that were soaked were the only clothes there. Did he recently come back from a trip?"

"Uh, well, I guess you could say that," Miyoko said, looking away.

"Ma'am, if there is something you're not telling us that could aid us in our investigation, you could be sentenced to up to 12 months in prison," Jefferson warned. Miyoko looked at Drago nervously, and Drago sighed.

"We recently got back from helping resolve a conflict between two planets in another dimension. They were at war, and a sleeper agent from the attacking planet infiltrated Bakugan Interspace to come into contact with the Bakugan Battle Brawlers and seek our aid in the war," Drago explained. "However, the princess from the planet under siege sought help from us as well. She came and exposed the sleeper agent, and then we traveled to Nethia with her to aid her homeland in the fight against Gundalia. We've been there for the past month or so and just returned last evening."

Jefferson was staring at him with his lips parted in a small "o" of shock. He recovered and composed himself, narrowing his eyes at the small red sphere.

"I know that you are Dan's guardian Bakugan, Drago, is it? I believe that you'd want to find him as quickly as possible. But what you have just told me is not possible. It is impossible to travel to other planets with life on them-"

"I can prove it," Drago challenged. He knew that this man was just doing his job, but his skepticism irritated him."About the dimensional transport, have you ever heard of Dr. Micheal Gehabic in Russiah?"

"Yes I have," Jefferson said shortly.

"I am from another planet. The Brawlers aided my cause in Vestroia, where the Bakugan that invaded Earth came from. They traveled through a Dimensional Gate to Vestroia and back to Earth, and later sent is back. I returned through a Gate to find Dan and the Brawlers, since New Vestroia was being invaded by a people called the Vestals, who come from the planet of Vestal in another dimension. At one point, Runo, a member of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, went to Dr. Micheal Gehabic in Russiah and asked for his help in transporting her to New Vestroia to help. He didn't want to help her because the transporter was unstable, but she sneaked in at night and used it without his permission, resulting in her getting trapped in between dimensions. We managed to save her by going through the Gate again, but we brought back some of the Vestals, both friends and enemies. We can contact them for you, if you wish," Drago said.

Jefferson stared at him, obviously not believing anything that he had just said. He looked at Miyoko, obviously hoping for some other logical explanation, but she could offer none. She just stared at him defiantly, annoyed now that he was challenging Drago's word when it was all true.

"Mr. Brown, this is all true," Miyoko insisted. "I just want my son found. Please, you can call any one of his friends, they'll confirm it. Joe might not know, but I can give the number of Marucho Marakura-"

"Marakura?" Jefferson's eyes widened. Miyoko and Drago nodded.

"Marucho Marakura is a good friend of ours. He's been on ship since the beginning, and he's an original Battle Brawler," Drago told him. "He came with us to Nethia, along with Shun Kazami and Jake Vallory, who lives in Bayview. If you need witnesses, then you can ask them or Julie Makimoto. Now, can we move on?"

Jefferson just stared at him, then sighed. "Alright, even though this seems pretty far fetched, I'm willing to believe you. I wouldn't believe this whole Bakugan business, either, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. But moving on..."

"Why would his shirt be covered in sweat?" Miyoko asked, looking at the bag in Jefferson's hand. They were all silent for a few moments while they thought, then Jefferson broke it.

"Does he ever have bad nightmares?"

"Nightmares?" Miyoko asked. "Not that I'm aware of... but he did just return... Drago, did he have nightmares while you were on Nethia?"

"Not that I was aware of," Drago told her. "But when I woke up, his sheets were all messed up, like he had been kicking in his sleep."

"All of the sheets were dislodged, and one of them was torn, to be exact," Jefferson said. Drago and Miyoko stared at him, Miyoko's mouth open in surprise.

"What?" Drago gasped. "He kicked that hard?"

"It looks that way," Jefferson told them. "We were wondering if someone had broken in and had a wrestling match with him, but because his clothes were in the hamper that possibility isn't looking very likely."

"His Castle Knight uniform is gone," Drago told him.

"His what?"

"His Castle Knight uniform. The uniform he wore when he was fighting on Nethia," Miyoko explained. "Or at least, that's what I understand from what Drago and Dan told me last night."

"That is correct, Miyoko," Drago nodded. "It's almost like a jumpsuit, but with special technology for brawlers. I can show you a picture, if you like."

"That would be... helpful," Jefferson said, at a loss for words. Drago jumped off the table and floated out of the room, Jefferson and Miyoko getting up to follow him. He led them up the stairs and past several investigators, who looked at Drago with wide eyes. Jefferson and Miyoko followed the Pyrus Bakugan into Dan's room, glancing around until they spotted him floating above Dan's backpack.

Drago had something hooked over his small arm, and he was straining to lift it out of the bag. He leaned back, grunting with the effort. Miyoko hurried over to him and took the thing he was trying to pull off of him, lifting it out easily herself.

It was a gold medal on a platinum chain long enough so that when the medal was hung on someones neck, the medal itself would rest in the center of the chest. The medal itself was about the diameter of an orange, the engraving standing out on the front. Miyoko held it up, taking in the engraving. The words on it were written in a language she couldn't understand, but the engraving was simple enough to comprehend. On the top of it was a peace sign about the size of a nickle, and then a large, cone-shaped building was engraved below that. The words encircled the symbol on the medal, and Miyoko couldn't help but feel proud that her son had earned this as the leader of the Battle Brawlers.

"That's the palace on Nethia," Drago told her. "The medal is made of pure gold, which is very, very rare on Nethia. Shun, Marucho, Fabia, Jake, and Ren all got medals like these, and so did Captain Elright and Linus for their services in the resistance movement."

"Wow..." Miyoko breathed. Jefferson walked over and lifted the medal from Miyoko's hands, noticing the small slip of paper stuck to the back of the prize when it brushed against his fingertips. He flipped it over and looked at it, taking in the English writing.

"The secret to happiness is freedom. The secret to freedom is courage,"(**Ancient greek historians and author, 460-404 BC**) Jefferson read.

"Princess Fabia translated it for us," Drago told him.

"Hm," Jefferson murmured. "Anyway, where's that picture?" He handed the medal back to Miyoko, who took it from him and held it to her heart. Drago flew back to the bag and disappeared inside, then after a moment poked his head back out.

"The picture is in here, but I can't grab it without thumbs," he muttered. Jefferson stepped forward, lifting the bag with ease while Drago hopped out. He placed it on the chair in front of Dan's desk and rummaged through it, finding a bunch of pictures after moving the camera out of the way.

The first showed a very happy Dan Kuso leaning on Shun, who was smirking at the camera. A girl with blue hair was laughing at them with her eyes closed, but her face tilted toward the camera. A short, blond teen was struggling to get out of Dan's grip, but he was smiling as he did so. A tall, well muscled boy was watching with a hand on his hip, laughing, while a dark skinned, silver haired boy grinned at Marucho's struggles from the girls left. Above all of their shoulders or heads floated a Bakugan, each of a different color. In the background of the scene was a light blue cone-shaped building, whose shape Miyoko recognized from the medal.

"That's Nethia," Drago told them. "In the back is the palace, and these are our team. Ren is the boy with dark skin, Princess Fabia is the one with blue hair. Marucho is the short one and Jake is-"

Just then, they heard a commotion outside. Jefferson blinked, looking over to Dan's window. Miyoko and Drago followed his gaze, startled by the yelling and bangs coming from outside.

"Hey, stop, this is a restricted area—whoa!" Jefferson jumped over to the window, trying to see what was going on, but due to the position of Dan's room, he was unable to perceive anything helpful. Then a voice filtered through the house.

"Hello? Mrs. Kuso?" Miyoko and Drago jumped, Jefferson turning in confusion.

"Jake?" Drago asked, floating away form the picture and toward the doorway. Miyoko and Jefferson winced at the thunder of footsteps as they sounded on the staircase, and then a large, tall teen appeared in the doorway.

"Hey Drago," Jake smiled, then looked past him at Miyoko and Jefferson. As he made his way into the room, he began to speak. "Dan The Man's mom, what's going on? Is Dan here?"

"Jake, what are you doing here?" Miyoko asked, confused.

"I was coming over here to find Dan since he wasn't responding to Maruch's calls," Jake told her. "But then I saw the caution tape and... well, I wanted to see what was going on." Just then, more footsteps thundered on the stairs, and several officers appeared at the doorway, holding up their batons and pointing their guns at Jake.

"Hey you! Kid! What do you think you're doing?"

"This is a crime scene," one of them shouted, and Jake yelped at the sight of the guns, backing away.

"H-hey! I was just curious about my friend-"

"Hey, hey! Lower your weapons," Jefferson cried, and the officers did as they were told. "What's going on here?"

"This young man broke through our line of caution tape and attacked our officers," an officer reported, glaring at Jake. Jefferson sighed, turning toward the well-muscled Sub-Terra brawler.

"Listen, young man, are you aware that you can face charges in prison for assaulting an officer?" he asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Huh? I could go to jail?" Jake yelped, looking horrified. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't realize-"

"It's alright, I'll let it go this time," Jefferson muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Given the unique circumstances of the situation..."

"Huh? For real? Oh, thank you so much man!" Jake gasped, grabbing Jefferson's hand. "Really, thank you so much! I won't forget this! I promise!"

"Hey, hey, take it easy, will you?" Jefferson grumbled, annoyed as he ripped his hand away from the teen. Jake straightened up, rubbing his head and grinning like an idiot. "Alright guys, go back down there and fix the tape. I'll be down in a little while."

"So, uh, what's going on?" Jake asked after the police officers—and their guns—had left. Miyoko and Drago looked at Jefferson, who sighed but nodded as he turned back to the photo.

"Dan's... disappeared," Miyoko said softly.

"What?" Jake asked, confused.

"I woke up this morning and he wasn't in his bed," Drago told him. "His Castle Knight uniform is gone, and he kicked so hard in his sleep last night that he ripped them. His pajamas are in the hamper. He took a shower, or at least it looks that way since the shower is wet. It looked as though he went out for a run, but he hasn't come back, and the police officers are searching the city but can't find him."

"So... he's..." Jake softly said, looking from Miyoko to Drago, looking nervous.

"He's just disappeared. We don't know where he went," Miyoko murmured, her eyes sparking with worry.

"You don't think he got called to go save another planet, do you?" Jake asked, looking at Drago. "I mean, he told me about how you guys save Earth and New Vestroia, and now Nehtia. Do you think someone asked for his help again?"

"He would have taken me if that were the case," Drago said gravely. "My guess is that he would have told all you as well."

"Well... I guess that explains why he wasn't answering his Baku-Meter," Jake sighed. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"If you tell the others and let them know whats going on, I think it could help a lot," Drago told him. "Maybe they'll be able to help in the investigation."

"Alright Drago," Jake nodded to the Pyrus Dragonoid.

"Oh, and make sure to tell Runo, Julie and Alice. They won't want to be left out of this," Drago told him. He nodded again, then looked at Miyoko seriously. She had turned away and was pressing Dan's medal to her chest, her lips pursed tight. He put his hands on her shoulders and she blinked at him, tears making their way down her cheeks. He smiled at her reassuringly.

"Don't worry Mrs. Kuso," he told her. "Dan can handle himself. He's proved it over and over again, and I'm sure that we'll find him. I promise you he'll be okay."

"Thank you... Jake," Miyoko whispered, wiping her eyes. Jake smiled at her, then turned and thundered down the stairs again, heading for Bakugan Interspace.

Miyoko and Drago turned to Jefferson again, who was leafing through several papers on the side of Dan's desk. There were two he held in his hand, both of which were in envelopes Drago recognized. He felt a chill course through his body and nervously landed on Miyoko's shoulder while Jefferson turned to them.

"Might his disappearance have anything to do with these letters?" he asked, holding up one that Princess Fabia had given them, and one that Dan had written the night before.

"Well, the one that's addressed to him is from Queen Serena, thanking us for our services," Drago told him. "And the one addressed to Runo..." He fell silent, and Miyoko blinked at him. Jefferson narrowed his eyes at the small Bakugan and walked over to him.

"And the one addressed to Runo...?" Drago hesitated, but then looked up at Jefferson.

"He wrote that last night... saying that he thought they should... break up." Miyoko's eyes widened and Jefferson's narrowed as he stepped back. Miyoko took Drago from her shoulder and cupped him in her hands, staring at him in shock.

"He's breaking up with her? Why?" she asked.

"He knows she'll get upset with him over the whole Nethia thing, and the fact that they live so far away from each other doesn't exactly help their relationship," Drago told her uncomfortably. "He thinks that if they're going to be in a relationship, they should at least be near each other, that way they can tell that they're being faithful. And besides, it would be easier to be in a relationship if he lived closer to her."

"Oh..." Miyoko murmured.

"Runo is going to be very mad at him for leaving for Nethia without telling her. She got very upset when he went to New Vestroia without her. He intended to send that letter today, explaining his reasons for leaving without telling her, and then telling her that he was breaking up. But I don't think it should be sent while he's not here. It's not a good idea," Drago said quietly.

"... Alright," Miyoko sighed. "She's going to take it hard."

"Exactly."

**Three hours later in Bakugan Interspace...**

"Dan's disappeared?" Marucho asked. Shun walked over from where he had been leaning against the wall, sinking into a chair around the glowing table in the center of the room. Jake nodded, looking troubled.

"Yeah, I went over to his house to find out where he was," he told them, "and there was caution tape surrounding the place. The police were there, and reporters were trying to get in to see what the commotion was about. Dan's mom was in his room with an officer and Drago, and they told me that Drago just woke up and Dan was gone. He must have had one heck of a nightmare before he disappeared, though, since he kicked so hard he ripped the sheets."

"He ripped the sheets? Really?" Julie asked from where she was standing with Runo and Alice.

"That's what Drago said," Jake reported. "But the strangest thing is that there isn't a trace of him! He took his Castle Knight uniform and just disappeared."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Marucho exclaimed. "There's no need for a Castle Knight uniform here, and if he needed it, wouldn't he have taken Drago, too?"

"Marucho's right," Alice agreed. "There's no real need for his Castle Knight uniform in Bayview, especially not if he didn't even bring his Bakugan."

"You don't think he sleepwalked, do you?" Runo asked, unable to come up with another answer.

"He doesn't sleepwalk, though, does he?" Alice asked. "And if he sleepwalked, how could he have put on his uniform, taken a shower, and then vanished without a trace without waking up?"

"I think that we can all agree that this wasn't just some freak thing," Shun spoke up, and everyone's gazes snapped toward him. He opened his eyes and looked at them all seriously. "Someone lured him. It's obvious."

"But how could they have gotten a message to Dan to lure him without waking up Drago?" Julie asked, confused.

"That's just it. They must have sent it to him in the form of a vision," Shun reasoned. The team's eyes widened. "Think about it. Dan's been prone to visions a lot. He had a vision of Masquerade when he was challenged to the brawl that sent him to the Doom Dimension. He had a vision with the rest of us about our Bakugan evolving due to the Attribute Energies. He also had a vision about the Gundalian Bakugan invading Nethia before Fabia showed up. And also, when he snapped Jake out of Kazarina's hypnosis, he told me that he had a dream where he was shouting to Jake."

"Really?" Jake asked. Alice, Julie and Runo exchanged glances.

"That's really bizarre," Marucho exclaimed.

"But how would someone know that Dan has had enough visions to trust the invitation?" Alice questioned.

"Yeah," Julie agreed.

"That's just it. We don't. Kazarina might have been able to get that out of him while he was captured by the Gundalians and then erased the memory, but she's dead now," Shun eliminated the possibility. He met all of their gazes in the silence that followed his statement, and then he straightened up from his position over the table.

"I think its time we get some outside help."

**Please review you guys! Sorry it took so long to update, I had to work on Searching for Spectra. That story should be finished within the next month or so, so then I'll be working on this one only. I can't wait, since I've got this all planned out... I spend hours and hours thinking about this story, I just love the idea. So, please tell me what you think of it.**

**Review!**


	4. Vestal

**"We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh" -Agnes Repplier**

Mira sighed, leaning back against the bench while crossing her legs. The sunlight above her only warmed sections of her face for the tree canopy shielding her, but she didn't mind. She tucked her arms under her head, closing her eyes and smiling as she inhaled the sweet scent of the apple blossoms above her. After a brief moment, she exhaled with a content sigh.

The past two years had been rather hectic while Gus, Ace, Keith, Baron, Klaus and herself took charge over the chaotic government of Vestal. Hydron and Zenoheld had been the only members of the royal family alive, other than Hydron's step sister, until they were overthrown. She was only nine when all the problems with her stepfather occurred, so she was unable to take any action against him. Vestal had plunged into a state of chaos, where leadership was in the hands of the various gangs that roamed the planet. They had used Bakugan to claw their way up the social ladder, and their rule had been absolute. The overpopulated planet was still running out of space to put their countless citizens, and it didn't help that those who lost homes due to the Bakugan brawls resorted to violence to survive. They harmed many innocents and kidnapped children in order to make enough money to afford food and water.

Mira remembered how astounded her brother had been at the dishonorable way of life these criminals lead. He immediately sought to take charge, making Mira, Ace, Baron, Klaus and Gus his 'gang'. They easily took down the other brawlers, and, despite Mira initial concern for her brother in power, he proved to be an admirable leader. He quickly earned the respect of the Vestal citizens, and his first order of business was to restore the previous system of power. The young heir to the throne was located and placed under his guardianship, as he was of age once he turned twenty. He ordered the cities Alpha, Beta, and Gama to return to New Vestroia, along with Klaus and Baron, to settle there. As they now had friendly relations with the Bakugan, Dimension Controllers were no longer necessary. Klaus and Baron kept Keith, Mira, Ace and Gus posted on the activities in the three cities, and things seemed to be running smoothly.

Keith and Mira had become the temporary rulers of Vestal, with Gus and Ace their advisers, while helping young Cassie come to terms with her new duties. Ace had finally asked Mira out, and she happily accepted, and they had been dating since their return to Vestal two years ago. Both she and Keith had been charged with dealing with the damaged areas of Vestal, but things were going well and more people were finding homes again. Free transport had been arranged for those that wanted to begin anew on New Vestroia, and many people had made use of that. Klaus' Aqua Apartments were a big hit, and after Mira and Cassie talked to him, they managed to persuade him to donate half of his profits from the apartments to pay for the transport cost for the unable Vestals from Vestal to New Vestroia.

Now, he lived with Sirenoid at Beta City, where he could sit outside and listen to her play her harp while she could swim whenever she wanted. Baron and Nemus were in charge of Alpha City, and Mira had found one of her old friends to take care of Gama City. Her friend's name was Obsidian, and she was a Darkus battler. Obsidian was a big fan of Ace, but she respected Mira's relationship with him.

Obsidian was part of a group of brawlers in charge of New Vestroia, and was their Darkus battler. It was an organization similar to the Vexos, but with good intentions. Baron was currently their Haos battler, and his younger sister Maron was studying under him succeed him as their Haos brawler. She was eleven now, and was showing promise as a battler. She and Obsidian, who was fourteen, were good friends in the Caretakers, and despite their attributes being opposite, they made good tag-team partners. Maron was also best friends with Cassie, and Maron frequently traveled to Vestal to visit the princess with Baron.

The Caretakers had one battler of each attribute, except Aquos and Haos. Klaus and Baron were both training kids to be brawlers. Klaus was teaching a young boy named Keane in the duties of a Caretaker, as well as the ways of an Aquos battler. He was thirteen and preferred the Aquos attribute. His guardian was Saint Aquas, a rare Aquos Bakugan whose species was mostly extinct. Ace had approved of Mira's choice for the Darkus battler of the team, as had Maron, who was already best friends with Obsidian. She partnered with Darkus Dio Sivac, an insect like Bakugan that dwelled in the farthest reaches of New Vestroia. It was unknown to Mira how she had come across such a rare Bakugan like Dio Sivac, who she called Dio, and Obsidian never went to tell how they met.

Maron had met her partner Bakugan, Kilan Leoness, when she had gotten lost in a race with Baron. It had been getting dark and the Tigrerra-like creature had answered her pleas for help with an air of impatience. He helped to guide her from the forest, but before they reached the exit, they were stopped by a few arrogant boys. Kilan Leoness was disgusted with their behavior, and asked Maron if she had enough courage to stand up to them. She told him yes, and they easily took down the boys in battle. After that, Leo agreed to help Maron and became her official Haos Bakugan partner.

The Ventus, Pyrus, and Sub-Terra brawlers Mira had not met yet, but she knew their names and the names of their partner Bakugan. The Ventus brawler's name was Isamu, and his Bakugan partner was Ventus Van Falco. Mira was aware that Isamu was a unique brawler, and a human. The Pyrus brawler's name was Birch, and Mira was told he was a large fan of both Dan Kuso and Keith. To be honest, it didn't really surprise her, as both boys were seen as legends on Vestal. He partnered with Flare Dragon, a dragon-like Pyrus Bakugan that Birch called Flare. The Sub-Terra battler was named Saffron, and he had an undying loyalty to his friends, Mira was told. His Bakugan partner had supposedly agreed to battle with him due to his fighting spirit, and didn't regret his decision. Mira had never heard of Gran Panzer before the enactment of the Caretakers, but learned quickly to respect him and honor him as an opponent. He had given herself and Wilda a bit of trouble, and even Gus had a difficult time defeating them. Gus and Mira hadn't had to discuss the verdict very much before deciding on Saffron to be the new Sub-Terra battler for the Caretakers.

Mira sighed, thinking about Baron on New Vestroia. She wondered, briefly, if things were going well. She stared up at the deep green canopy above her. The sunlight filtered mildly through the hundreds of leaves above her head, casting uneven shadows over the skin of her face and the ground behind the bench. Her hair had grown very long in the past two years and now was pulled up in a high ponytail. It escaped her gloved fingers as she sat forward again, lowering her arms to her lap.

A gentle breeze played with that ponytail, detaching a few strands of orange hair from it. The knee length, formfitting dress she wore was unaffected by the wind, thanks to its polyester fabric. The dress was a light brown, with a dark brown belt at the waist. It had no sleeves, and her white boots reached her knees. A circular pendant dangled from her neck, with a brown background and the Sub-Terra Attribute symbol showing up in white. A dark brown cape descended from two gold plates over her shoulders, also emphasizing her Sub-Terra attribute.

Mira smiled, then blinked as Wilda popped out on her shoulder. He had evolved through battle into Flare Wilda since the last time she saw the Brawlers, however, she still had a hard time defeating her brother. His Bakugan had also evolved, naturally this time, and had changed attributes in the process. Now, he was known as Darkus Infinity Helios, and he and Wilda were the two strongest Bakugan on Vestal.

"Mira, don't you have to go to a meeting today?" Wilda asked. Mira sighed, sitting up.

"Yeah, but I that's not until ten! It's eight o'clock now. Besides, Cassie comes here a lot. I was hoping to run into her this morning," Mira said, smiling at the small Sub-Terra Bakugan.

"Really? Why? Isn't she on New Vestroia, visiting Maron?" he asked. Mira blinked, confused for a moment, then laughed. She was about to respond, an embarrassed smile sneaking across her face, when a happy cry resounded through the rooftop garden.

"Mira!" Cassie and Maron were dashing across the large open space in the garden, Maron's cape billowing out behind her. Mira stood up, confused but smiling at the appearance of the two eleven year old girls. Maron had yelled, as she hadn't seen Mira for a few months. She had been busy with the duties of a Caretaker-in-training back in New Vestroia, and Cassie had gone to check up on the Caretakers three weeks ago. Both girls were excited to see the top Sub-Terra brawler on Vestal.

"Maron! Princess Cassie," Mira exclaimed, amused and surprised, as Maron almost tackled her in a hug. Mira giggled lightly as Maron looked up at her, grinning from ear to ear. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but I thought you weren't supposed to be back until next week. I just blanked on that when I was talking to Wilda."

"Well..." Maron shrugged. Her blue hair reached her chin and was cut on an angle, so most of the back of her neck was visible. Maron pulled back so that Cassie could get a hug from the temporary queen of Vestal, and Mira realized that Maron had gotten a new uniform.

Maron wore a pair of dark red shorts with a white belt, along with white, knee high boots. On each knee, there was a single orb of topaz, symbolizing her Haos attribute. Maron's shirt was formfitting, and was actually a white leotard with a yellow star over her heart. Her white vest with gold trim masked that, however, and had a high collar. She had no sleeves and wore white gloves that reached her elbows, with a large, metal wristband on her left wrist. Two metal cuffs were clasped around her upper arms, holding her white cape in place. The cape itself was attached to the back of the vest and the cuffs kept it spread out over her back. An amulet with the Haos attribute symbol hung from around her neck, emphasizing her Haos attribute.

Cassie sported a white dress that reached her knees. It hugged her torso and stomach, and from there, fell gently around her legs. The collar of her dress was a beautiful ocean blue, and the color followed her long sleeves down. It swirled around the loose sleeves in the form of a bluebell pattern. The bluebells also trailed down to the bottom of the dress, except in a straight line rather than curling around her body. Her blond hair was tied up in a pony tail, but that didn't stop the nearly white strands from trailing down her bare back. Her bangs had long since grown out, so they rested limply against her chest. A gentle breeze lifted them off her chest, blowing them to the side. Cassie took the opportunity to tuck them behind her ears with her white gloved fingers, smiling up at Mira while her amethyst eyes sparkled. She tucked one leg behind the other, hiding the silver sandal she wore on her left foot behind the other.

"How are you?" Mira asked the two, beckoning to the bench as she herself sat down. Cassie took a seat to Mira's left, smoothing out her dress, while Maron took the one to Mira's right.

"I'm good!" Maron announced.

"Me too, thanks," Cassie agreed. "And yourself?"

"I'm a great, thank you," Mira yawned, but grinned after removing her hand from her mouth. "So Maron, how's your brother?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Maron answered her question with a question. Mira blinked, then looked up at the sound of a footfall. Cassie and Maron grinned at the tall muscular fourteen year old, then turned their gazes to the shocked Sub-Terra brawler. After a moment, a huge smile grew on her face, and she leapt up from the bench.

"Baron!" she cried, hurrying over to him. He laughed, opening his arms. She hugged him tightly, having obviously missed him. The last time she had seen him was when he announced that he and Maron would be going to New Vestroia to help re-colonize the planet. That was over a year ago, and both she and Ace had been planning a trip to go and surprise the young Haos brawler, but it looked like he had beaten them to it.

"Hey there, Mira," he grinned, and she looked up at him. He had grown since she had last seen him, and now he was even taller than her. She took a step back to look at him properly, something that he did with her as well.

He wore an open vest like Hydron and Shun had worn, with the same pattern as his avatar's shirt in Bakugan Interspace over his chest. The rest of the lengthy vest was white and reached his knees, where yellow waves of color rose and fell. He didn't have a collar anymore and no longer wore a red headband. Instead, it was blue and silver. His pants were similar to the ones he had been given by Mira in his Resistance uniform, with the same pattern on the side and white, however, they ended just above the knee and were baggy like Dan's had been. His shirt under the coat was black and form fitting, and the same blue gloves adorned his hands. He wore a similar pair of boots on his feet, and they were exactly the same. The only difference was the knees of the boots sported a circular opal on each one, symbolizing his Haos attribute.

"What are you doing here?" Mira asked, unable to keep the smile off her face. Baron opened his mouth to answer, but someone else answered for him.

"Klaus sent him," Ace frowned, coming around the corner. Mira's face fell as she noticed the serious expression on his face, and he quickly held up his hands. "No, it's nothing bad, don't worry!" he smiled. Mira blinked, but smiled anyway.

"If you're sure," Mira acknowledged, then gave him a hug as he walked up to her.

"Hey Mira, look!" Maron said excitedly, standing up and lifting her arm to show Mira the metal wristband. Mira looked at it for a moment, trying to remember the purpose of the metal ring. The wristband was worn by the Caretakers to keep all Bakugan within the city limits in ball form. However, it would only work within city limits, and there had to be one powered up in each city at all times. It allowed the Caretakers to battle both inside and outside the city, and kept their Bakugan sealed in Ball Form unless they were battling when they were outside the city. Mira blinked, and then lifted her gaze, amused, to Maron's face.

"No way! You're a full fledged Caretaker now?" she exclaimed. Maron nodded, looking ecstatic. "That's great! When did you advance in rank?"

Cassie tucked her hands behind her back and looked away, trying to disguise a knowing smile. Mira glanced at the princess and shook her head.

"I guess that explains why you were so insistent on going to New Vestroia three weeks ago, now doesn't it?" Mira grinned. Cassie returned the facial expression and got to her feet as well. Her expression then darkened and Mira's smile faded.

"Klaus sent us back here today because he had gotten a message from the Battle Brawlers," Cassie told her. Mira blinked, surprised, and straightened up. She hadn't heard from the Brawlers since they had left for Earth after the destruction of the Alternative Weapon System. She glanced at Ace and Baron, both of which looked quite serious now.

"So that's why you're here, too?" Mira addressed Baron, who nodded. She noted how his expression was grim, and now, when she looked at Ace, noticed the worry in his eyes. She bit her lip. "I thought you said it wasn't anything bad?"

"...That's just it..." Ace muttered, rubbing his minty green hair back as his long purple sleeve trailed along his face. He was wearing a form fitting purple-and-black shirt, the sleeves hugging his arms until they reached his elbows, much like his Resistance uniform. An open vest hung from his shoulders, also black and purple. There were raised black shoulder pads on this vest, and over the left jacket pocket, a Darkus symbol was embroidered. Ace's pants were black with a white version of the design that was on the sides of the Resistance uniform pants, and only went to his knees. He wore the same knee-high boots that he did in the days of the Resistance, but on the knees there were small orbs of black onyx. A medallion with the Darkus symbol hung from his neck, and that was where his white, fingerless gloved hands were caught. "We don't know what's wrong. Runo sounded really worried..." He tugged at the amulet subconsciously, an action that Mira recognized as his way of comforting himself. He was worried.

"Runo sent the message?" Mira asked, glancing between Baron and Ace.

"No, not quite," Keith told her, walking up with Gus at his shoulder, as usual. Mira blinked at him.

"Hey Keith," she said. "Hi Gus."

"Good morning, Mira," Gus smiled at her. Time had healed his dislike of the Resistance members, and he and Mira got along rather well despite their rivalry as brawlers.

"We've got to hurry, Klaus just informed me that we would have two guests arriving in about a half hour," Keith told her, holding his Darkus mask in his hand. Mira nodded to him, turning to Cassie and Maron.

"You two are going to need this experience. I'm going to go get changed and tell the meeting staff that we won't be able to make it, and then I'll meet you at the transmission room," she said. "Baron, Ace, can you take them?"

"You got it," Baron grinned.

"We'll meet you there," Ace nodded. As Maron and Cassie ducked past Mira, Ace leaned toward his girlfriend. He planted a light kiss on her cheek, but didn't pull back. Mira could feel his warm, minty breath tickling her ear and blushed. "Good to see you barking orders again," he smirked, pulling away before she could react. She stared after him as he led Baron, Cassie, and Maron toward the transmission room, and then felt the anger flare up inside her.

"Ace Grit!" she shouted.

"Ah! Run, here comes Mira the Demon!" Ace joked, starting to run. Baron and the others laughed, easily matching his pace as they escaped the rooftop garden. Mira sighed, slightly annoyed at her boyfriend's joking tactics.

"He never changes, does he?" Keith shook his head.

"Apparently not," Mira grinned, looking at her brother. He smiled, and she took in his Darkus outfit. He wore a coat much similar to his Pyrus one, but the colors this time were gray, black, and purple, and there were no feathers. The mask in his hand also reflected those colors and had two eye-holes instead of one. His boots were gray, purple and black, reaching halfway up his shins, and his pants and shirt were both black. He wore black gloves, and his collar had shrunk considerably.

Gus, to Spectra's right, had traded his brown coat and form-fitting black clothes for a brown version of Ace's Resistance uniform. Gus's pants, however, were gray jeans and he had cowboy boots with spurs on his feet. Recently Mira had introduced him to horseback riding, and he was quite good at it to say the least. He was currently trying to master throwing a Bakugan ball from a saddle, but Mira wasn't sure exactly how well that was going for him. Gus wore the same gloves as he had as a Vexos, and his hair was worn in the exact same fashion. However, he also sported a cape now that descended down his back just like Mira's, except that his plates of shoulder armor were the same rounded ones he had worn on his Vexos trench coat.

"I haven't seen you two wear those before," Mira commented after looking them over. "Nice boots, Gus."

"Thank you Mira," he grinned. "Keith took the liberty of picking out a new uniform for yourself as well. You didn't think you'd show up in front of the Brawlers in your old Resistance uniform, did you?" Mira looked away, as that was exactly what she had intended to do.

"Come on, sister, it probably wouldn't fit," Keith told her, coming around behind her and resting his arm over her shoulders. She sighed. She knew he was right, but that didn't shake her nervousness at reuniting with her friends after two years. She took a deep breath and smiled up at him despite that.

"I guess. I just hope you picked out something good," she joked, stepping away. He grinned.

"I think you'll like it," he told her. "But you'd better hurry, or you'll miss it!"

"Right!" Mira nodded, then took off down the path. Her boots made small tapping sounds on the stone walkway in the rooftop garden, and Mira easily rounded the corner of tall rectangular hedges. The door leading downstairs into the newly built palace rose ahead of her, and she ducked into it, slowing so as not to trip on the stairs leading sharply downward.

It took her a few minutes to reach her bedroom, but when she did, she entered her entry code and the doors opened with a mechanical whir. Mira stepped inside the room easily, the doors sliding shut behind her. She walked forward on the metal floor, her boots making small clicking sounds as the heels touched down.

Mira glanced around the room, not acknowledging the dresser that occupied one wall or the nightstand that stood next to the bed. The floor was made of plain gray metal that contained several traces of iron and tungsten, as were the walls. However, several detailed tapestries hung on the walls, adding a dash of color to the room. One of these five tapestries depicted her attribute symbol. Another one housed a detailed illustration of a rearing horse, which Mira knew symbolized freedom. One on the far wall featured beautifully embroidered test with the message "Good people are good because they've come through wisdom through failure" (William Saroyan), surrounded by thorny vines with blooming roses. An owl rested in the top right corner, its piercing gaze sweeping around the room and hiding its wisdom behind its crystal gaze. Still another was the color of sand and embroidered in a mahogany colored threat with a quotation by Edward Vernon Rickenbacker. "Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared." One above her bed featured a beautiful white dove, spreading its wings in front of a rising sun while perched on the branch of an olive tree. Mira grinned at that one, remembering the importance of peace that the banner symbolized.

Her eyes trailed downward, onto the bed itself. Resting there was the outfit Keith and Gus had promised, lying limply on the bedspread. Mira looked at it curiously and made her way over to it, climbing up two stairs onto the dais upon which the bed rested. She reached down onto the bed, disregarding the earthy brown bedspread and paying attention to the mahogany jumpsuit. She lifted it up tentatively, noticing how it would fit her form easily and perfectly. It was just her size, and even had a set of white gloves laying on the bed for it.

Mira grinned realizing that her brother had chosen well. She tucked the outfit and gloves over her forearm and jumped down off the dais, landing easily and perfectly on her feet. She gently placed Wilda on the dresser as she walked by it, noticing out of the corner of her eye that he popped out. She then ducked into the walk in closet in her room, which was concealed behind the tapestry with her Attribute Symbol. She lifted the golden plates from her shoulders and the cape with them, placing them gently on the mannequin designed to hold them. She undid her belt, stripped off the dress and flung it into the hamper in the corner, and then did the same with her gloves and boots. Mira pulled the ribbon out of her hair then, allowing her waist-length orange hair to fall down behind her. She pulled on the jumpsuit then, noticing how it fit her form snuggly.

Mira pulled on her white boots, then lifted the golden shoulder plates and cape from the mannequin. She placed them over her shoulders and pulled her hair out of the way, then lifted the ribbon again. Mira easily pulled a brush through her hair, then tied up her ponytail again. She pulled the gloves up to her elbows, grinning when she noticed that they were lined with a yellow fabric.

She then pushed aside the tapestry and walked out of the closet, smiling at Wilda when he popped out of his Bakugan ball. "You look great, Mira," he told her.

"Thanks," she replied with an embarrassed smile. She pushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, heading for the wall mirror in the bathroom, located behind the tapestry of the rearing horse. Mira grinned when she saw her reflection as she stepped onto the tiled floor.

The jumpsuit was a dark mahogany color over her torso and legs. Her stomach was a creamy white with very thin black lines shooting down vertically. This section followed the line of her rib cage around her, and then dipped down on the outsides of her thighs in the same style as her Resistance Uniform. A loose black belt rested on her waist with no real purpose, but it reminded her of her previous uniform. The golden wings over her shoulders secured her cape, of course, but complemented the dark brown color of the outfit. The jumpsuit had no sleeves, and instead featured tank top like straps over her shoulders that were, of course, mostly hidden by the golden wing-plates and the cape. Her arms were bare until they reached her elbows, where her white gloves were. The white boots reached her knees as well, the brown orbs there signifying her Sub-Terra attribute.

Mira pulled her attribute pendant out from under her jumpsuit, where it had gotten pinned while she got changed. It now rested in the center of her chest, where it was meant to.

She turned and exited the bathroom, satisfied with Keith's selection. Her brother never ceased to amaze her with how well he knew her. She had to admit she was amazed that she and the Resistance hadn't crumbled right at the beginning of their quest to free the Bakugan, for her brother could have easily taken them out by just beating her before they met Dan.

Mira held out her hand as she walked by her dresser, and Wilda jumped down. He landed easily in the palm of her hand, and she lifted him up to her shoulder. Before exiting the room, however, she stopped in front of a screen built into the wall. Quickly, she punched in the number for the meeting room, and a picture popped up of one of attendees.

"Queen Mira," he exclaimed, bowing his head in respect.

"I'm sorry," she began. "Something important came up a few minutes ago. Keith and I won't be able to attend the meeting this morning."

"It's fine, Milady," the attendee told her. "We shall make do in your absence and record all of what occurs."

"Thank you," Mira smiled, and quickly hit the "End Call" button before the attendee could ask her any questions. She then ducked out of the room, sprinting down the hallway in the direction of the meeting room.

She arrived there after a few minutes, and slowed to a stop outside the doors. She punched in her password and the double doors slid open, granting her access. As she stepped into the threshold, the transporter in the center of the room lit up. Mira blinked, glancing around. She caught sight of Keith and the others standing to the right of her, all watching the transporter curiously.

"Just in time, Sister," Keith smiled at her. Mira grinned, walking over to him.

"I'll admit, you picked well," she told him, gesturing at her outfit. He smirked, then turned to face the transporter, an intense, serious look overcoming his features. Mira turned her gaze toward the glowing piece of technology as well, anxiously waiting to find out what brought the Brawlers here but hoping that it was just a leisurely visit.

Two pairs of white boots developed first on the ground, one reaching their owner's knees and the other pair only extending to her ankles. A pair of purple white capris with purple lining appeared above the knee boots, and then a purple and black form fitting shirt above that. The shirt was long sleeved and had a turtleneck collar, an amethyst point dangling from a chain around her neck. Her red hair was loose as usual, and reached her waist. Just the way Mira remembered it.

The other girl wore the white ankle boots and orange knee socks. She sported white jean short shorts, and a yellow belly shirt with cuffs on her upper arms. A white, long-sleeved undershirt reached her forearms, but didn't cover her stomach. A plain black and silver ring hugged her left wrist. Her blue pigtails were just as Mira remembered them, tied with blue and yellow hairbands. The green eyes smiled, and Mira smiled back at her.

"Runo! Alice!" she exclaimed.

"Mira!" both girls cried, jumping down from the transporter. They rushed to hug Mira, then Baron and Ace. Keith opened his arms, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Runo went to hug him as well. Gus nodded at her with a smile and she returned the gesture, having not known him as well as Keith and the others.

"I haven't seen you guys in forever!" Runo announced, glancing around at all of their faces. Her eyebrows creased when she saw Cassie and Maron, not recognizing them, but she smiled at them. "Hello, I'm Runo Misaki, the Haos brawler of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers. Or at least I was."

"Was?" Maron asked. "Runo, remember me?" She smiled broadly, hoping the older Haos brawler would recognize her. Runo narrowed her gaze at the blue haired eleven year old, straining to remember. Baron walked over to Maron, resting his arm over her shoulders. She smiled up at her older brother, then looked back at Runo, who looked as though she was still pondering Maron's identity. However, Alice giggled softly and knowingly, making Runo and the others look toward her.

"Runo, don't you remember Baron's little sister, Maron?" she asked, grinning at her. Runo stared at her.

"Huh? Oh!" She turned back to Maron, who was grinning. "Oh wow, you've gotten big!"

"Thanks!" Maron smiled. Cassie was waiting patiently behind Maron, her hands clasped in front of her, and Maron turned then to face her. "Runo, Alice, this is Princess Cassandra."

"Oh my," Alice exclaimed, dropping to one knee. Runo blinked, but copied her, resting one arm on one knee as she bowed her head before the noble. Cassie blushed, glancing at Mira for guidance. Mira winked at her and put her hands on her waist.

"Hey, how come we didn't get a bow?" she asked, smirking. Runo and Alice glanced at her, surprised. Keith grinned at them.

"We're the temporary rulers of Vestal," he told her. Runo and Alice blinked in surprise, then bowed their heads toward their friends. Mira laughed.

"You didn't have to do that, guys," she said, reaching a hand out toward Alice. Alice took it and got to her feet once more. Runo stood up next, her smile fading into an expression of worry. The smile on Mira's face faded as well, and she met Runo's troubled gaze.

"What happened?" Ace asked, sensing the tension in the room and reacting to it.

Runo glanced over at him and took a deep breath.

"Dan's been kidnapped."

**Please review, I'll update faster!**


	5. Nethia

**"Dreams are the touchstones of our characters,"-Henry David Thoreau**

Princess Fabia sighed, resting her hands on the railing of the balcony. A gentle breeze played over her oddly pale lavender skin, and as she stared into the cool, starry night, some of the color began to return. Her green eyes stared down at the dark expanse of her kingdom, and at the slightly lighter shadows that marked the ruble littering the ground. Buildings had started to rise again, but the sight of her ravaged homeland hadn't yet been repaired. She knew it would take months, maybe even years, before the former beauty and glory of Nethia was restored, and even though she knew none of her people had been harmed, the knowledge of homelessness while she lived in luxury bothered her. But she hadn't just decided to step out onto her balcony to ponder the difference between their social classes.

Fabia had woken only minutes ago from a disturbing nightmare. She had awoken, shaking and sweaty, with white filling all of her vision. She had looked around wildly, half expecting to find herself in Barodius's throne room, from which she had just escaped. But when she realized that she was sitting safely in her room, the skylight above her couch repaired from Dan's fall and showing the glittering stars above, she slowly began to relax. Her dream had disturbed her greatly though, and now, as she stared up at the millions of constellations swirling across the sky above her, she recalled it so vividly that she could have been experiencing it right then.

Fabia found herself in a dark hallway, running from an unseen enemy. The light in the hall was dim, provided by numerous lamps every thirty feet in the halls. There was just barely enough to see by, and she once again wondered how the Gundalians could see on their dismal planet. Of course, this explained why they had sought the Element, or at least, an understandable reason for why they had sought it.

Fabia could feel herself rapidly tiring, her legs tightening with exertion. Her throat and lungs burned, and all she wanted to do was sink to her knees and rest. Aranaut provided her with the resolve to keep going, to keep from being taken. Alive or dead she didn't know, and she didn't plan to stick around to find out.

Suddenly, light appeared behind her, and her shadow was flung out onto the ground in front of her. She gasped as the lightning bolt slammed into her back, sending her forward a few feet. Aranaut was hurled from his shoulder perch and bounced away from Fabia, who was groaning on the ground. Thankfully, she was in her human form, so her Castle Knight uniform had protected her from the worst of the blast.

"Princess, are you alright?" Aranaut asked, bouncing over to her. Fabia nodded, and then strong, clawed hands grabbed her arms. She was pulled upright, but she didn't say a word. She didn't dare. Then she was turned to face her captor, who turned out to be none other than the deceitful Kazarian. Both of their eyes widened as they locked, and then Fabia's face returned to her defiant glare. Kazarina's mouth twisted into the most evil expression Fabia had ever seen, and the grip on the princess's arm tightened. Kazarina's other blue hand snatched up Aranaut, and she began to pull the Nethian princess forward.

The walk through the hallways were short, but Kazarina didn't just walk in silence.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Has the little princess strayed too far from her pretty, safe, meadow dreamland?" she drawled. Fabia was silent, now aware that this dream was a Prophet Dream.

"Do you honestly think that you'll get information from me?" Kazarina asked.

"To be honest, it was an accident," Fabia snarled. Kazarina scoffed, suddenly whipping Fabia around and pressing her forcefully against the wall. Fabia grunted at the impact and was slightly thankful Aranaut hadn't seen that.

"Don't think you can lie to me in my own dream, Princess," she hissed. Fabia glared at her defiantly. "I know that you Nethians can invade dreams. And when you do that, you can control what goes on. Who you talk to. The information you get out of whoever you'd invaded." Fabia squinted at the crafty Gundalian, then grimaced and gasped when Kazarina grabbed a fistful of her hair and pinned her head to the wall with it. "But let me tell you, Princess Fabia..." She leaned forward so that her nose and Fabia's nose were almost touching. "You miscalculated when you chose me."

Then the woman seemed to freeze, thinking. Fabia tried to lash out with her arms and legs, but found them bound by an unseen force. She tried to kick, but her limbs had gone numb. Her fingers tingled, as did her toes and feet. Kazarina's facial expression slowly changed, calculating, considering, and then she smirked. "But on second thought, your pointless little intrusion might have some use..."

Then she pulled Fabia from the wall, causing the girl to gasp at the sudden forceful movement. Feeling returned to her limbs and she was able to move fairly freely, but with enough lethargy to have trouble resisting. Kazarina dragged her through the hall, Fabia stumbling along beside her. She was forced to bend over, grunting whenever Kazarina yanked on her hair. After a moment, the blue-skinned Gundalian opened the hand that Aranaut was held in, and he faded out of existence.

"Aranaut," Fabia growled, resisting despite the grip on her midnight blue hair. Kazarina yanked her toward her and Fabia yelped softly, stumbling at the sudden, painful motion. Kazarina allowed a satisfied, yet sadistic, grin overtake her features at the sight of Fabia's discomfort.

And then they were in a dark but open room, with a two red staircases heading upward in the center. In the middle of the two staircases there was a platform about eight feet wide and wrapped around the base of the circular platform above it. Standing on the center platform were Gill, Airzel, and Stoica, and seated at the top was none other than the cause for the war that had ravaged her home. At first his expression was cold and slightly puzzled, but then he seemed to realize the reasoning behind Kazarina's actions. He smiled cruelly and Fabia bit her lip. She wondered how Kazarina had summoned them, or if they were just part of her dream. The Prophet side of her announced that these characters were the real deal, that by some means, the Gundalians were communicating through dreams.

"I trust you have a reason for bringing Princess Fabia here," he said to Kazarina, his expression returning to one of mild puzzlement and irritation. Kazarina smirked and pulled Fabia back, then pushed her down, causing her to land, surprised, on her hands and knees on the cold metal floor.

She lifted her head and glared up at Barodius. She knew that he couldn't seriously harm her here, for she would wake up if she were about to die, but being in the presence of one that would kill even one of his own-

Then Fabia's eyes widened, and her head snapped up. She stared in shock and horror at the Gundalian leader, suddenly aware that there was no possible way he was still alive. He smirked, and Kazarina stepped into Fabia's line of view. Fabia licked her lips nervously, her eyes flicking from her to Gill, and Airzel and then Stoica. She had witnessed Barodius shoot at Gill's ship, and Airzel rush in an attempt at giving him aid, and then watched as the two were killed. And then Dan told her that Dragonoid Collosus, Lytherius, and Stoica had all been killed by a blast from Dharak in an attempt at wiping Dan and said Dragonoid out. And Kazarina... Fabia had witnessed Kazarina's dead body herself! It didn't make any sense that these people were still alive. No sense at all, and Fabia began to wonder if this really was a Prophetic Dream.

"Of course I do, Sire," Kazarina smirked. Fabia wondered if she was the only one that noticed Gill's expression darken, and then Kazarina continued. "You see, I found this little insect running through the halls, like a rat in a maze." Fabia shot her a nasty glare and Kazarina frowned at her. "Of course, she ran from me, but I managed to... how shall we say, immobilize her." Fabia glanced at Gill, noticing his steadily darkening expression, and then at Barodius, who was watching both girls with a close, calculating gaze. She started to get to her feet, but Kazarina turned on her. "Don't move!" she snarled, and Fabia placed her hands back on the floor, feeling absolutely murderous.

"I asked her what she was doing here, of course, and she told me that it was an accident that she ended up here, of all places." Barodius raised an eyebrow at the Nethian princess, who glared back at him defiantly. "And then I realized the opportunity that came with a Nethian Prophet invading your dreams," Kazarina continued, kneeling in front of Fabia. She cupped her chin in her hand, earning an angered hiss from the girl.

"Shall we give her the insight, Sire?" Kazarina asked, standing and bowing to her emperor. Barodius was sitting in his throne leisurely, resting his head on his left hand. He frowned at Fabia, an expression that she found somewhat irritating because it was hard to read. He was silent for a few moments, and Kazarina's smirk faded. "Sire?" He turned his head toward her, closing his eyes.

"I don't think so. These things take time. Fear increases as time goes by, after all. The longer inaction is prolonged, the longer confusion and not knowing is enforced, the easier it will be for us to gain what we desire. Is that not correct... Kazarina?" Fabia glanced at the blue-skinned Gundalian woman and smirked at the expression of embarrassment upon her face. She looked lost and quite flustered, and Fabia was sure that she wasn't the only one that noticed the color rising to her cheeks. That gave her the tiniest bit of satisfaction, however fleeting it might be.

"So what should we do with her Sire?" Gill asked, looking down on Kazarina with an impertinent expression. Kazarina curled her lip at him and Gill composed himself, looking at her cooly.

"Yeah, what do you do with a princess who strayed too far from her kingdom?" Stoica smirked.

"Perhaps we should simply... give her a warning?" Airzel suggested. Barodius shook his head.

"How about I just tell her that my price is the same. The powers of the Sacred Orb," Barodius growled. "Now, send her away. Quickly."

"Y-yes, Emperor Barodius," Kazarina stammered, then turned a face of pure rage and hatred toward the princess. She glared at Kazarina, even though she was slightly taken aback at the intensity of the anger. "Begone!" she commanded, raising her hand toward the Nethian princess. Fabia gasped, and then the room was filled with light. And then, she had found herself in her bed, sweaty and shaking.

Fabia sighed, lowering her gaze from the stars to the kingdom below. The breeze had dried most of the sweat on her face, and now she could feel the chill the dream had wrapped her in slowly fading away. She breathed in deeply, taking in the clean, potent night air. Its effects were brilliant, and she easily felt herself relaxing. She would ponder the meaning of the dream later. Now, she decided, she would head back to bed. She turned to go back inside, yawning, and when she opened her eyes, yelped in surprise.

Commander Elright stood there, flanked by two castle knights, in the doorway to the balcony. He was standing up straight, looking at her with an intensity in his gaze that told Fabia that he had something important to tell her. The two knights behind him, Linus and one she recognized as the talented Haos brawler, Rafe, were standing at rapt attention. Rafe's purple eyes were trained on Fabia, as were Linus'. Rubinoid floated over Linus' shoulder, just like Wolfurio on Rafe's. Raptorix rested on Elright's shoulder, and Fabia held out her hand to Aranaut as he flew over to her.

"My lady," Linus sank to one knee, an action mimicked by Rafe.

"You may rise. What's going on?" Fabia asked after grinning at Aranaut. Rafe and Linus rose, standing respectfully behind Commander Elright.

"We've received an emergency transmission from Earth, more specifically Bakugan Interspace," Elright told her. Fabia's eyes widened.

"Oh no, is everyone alright?" she asked, Aranaut floating over her shoulder as she placed a fisted hand over her heart.

"We're not sure," Linus told her. "It was a recorded message from Marucho saying that two envoys would be arriving within the hour."

"Really?" Fabia asked, blinking. Just then, a bright glow started up from Fabia's body, and Elright, Linus, and Rafe all hurried to shield their eyes. When the glow died down, Fabia stood there in her Castle Knight uniform, looking nervous but happy that she was getting a visit from her friends so soon. She started to push past the three Castle Knights, but Elright grabbed her arm.

"Pardon me, Princess Fabia, but are you sure that you want to go and meet them?" Elright asked. Fabia looked at him, realizing that he knew her well. His eyes weren't cold, but they weren't worried either. They were calm and wise, worn from battle, and showed that he knew the dangers of this world well. Fabia glanced at Rafe as he began to speak.

"Yeah, Princess," he said. "It might not be safe for you to go out and meet them, even if you do know them. We're reconstructing right now, and it's dangerous."

"Thank you for your concern, but it is unnecessary," Fabia told them, slightly annoyed. "I've infiltrated Gundalia with them, and I've gone to Earth on my own, other than with Aranaut." Then she smiled and Elright let go of her. "I don't think I need to worry very much. They're my friends. But if it makes you feel any better, you can come along with me."

"That's not the point, Princess," Elright told her, looking determined. "You're coronation is in a week. We can afford for our future-"

"Elright, I said I'm going," Fabia snapped forcefully. Elright blinked at her, clearly surprised, and she sighed, taking a deep breath. When she exhaled, she looked at him again, stubborn as ever. "Sorry, I'm irritated. But, I'm going," she repeated, more calmly. "If what you say is true, and that the transmission was an emergency, it's all the more reason for me to get involved. Let's go."

She brushed past the three Castle Knights, leaving all three of them looking bewildered. Aranaut sighed, but followed her toward the door. Rafe glanced at Linus and then at Commander Elright, hoping for an explanation, but he received none. Elright started forward, as did Linus, so Rafe followed. The door rose before Fabia, and she led the way out of the room.

"Did the transmission specify where the envoys would arrive?" Fabia asked as they walked.

"No Ma'am," Elright told her, easily matching her brisk pace. "I assumed that they would be transported directly to the castle-"

"-but the third shield prevents that, unless we are transporting people," Fabia finished. "Right. How quickly can you disable the third shield?"

"With the adjustments Linus made...?" Elright trailed off, glancing at Linus.

"It should take at least ten minutes," Linus told her. "But the message was received about a half hour ago, so it might be easier to just bounce their transporter signal to just outside the third shield."

"What shall we do, Princess?" Aranaut asked. Fabia glanced at him, then turned a corner.

"Let's have the signal diverted. Commander Elright, can you do that for me?" she asked.

"Of course, Princess," he told her. "Rafe and Linus shall accompany you to the edge of the third shield where I will have the signal bounced. Will that work?"

"Yes, that should be fine. Thank you Commander," Fabia said formally.

The walked in silence for a few more moments, and then they arrived at the transporter room, as well as the shield control room. The door lifted easily and with several metal bangs, and then rose up enough for them to pass thorugh. Fabia led the way of course, and was then followed by Commander Elright, Linus, and Rafe. Several Castle Knights on duty glanced at her, then stood out of respect. They sank to one knee as she passed, and she smiled kindly at them. They took their seats again.

Fabia and Elright separated, Elright stopping in the center of the room to give orders while Fabia continued forward, heading toward the transporter platform. Rafe glanced at Elright nervously, who nodded to him. Linus followed Fabia to the platform, and then noticed that Rafe hung back. He beckoned to the young castle knight with his hand, and Rafe jumped forward, bounding up onto the platform.

Fabia made sure that Rafe was in the center of the platform, within range of the transporter, and then she nodded at Elright. Elright returned the nod and then barked out a command. "Begin transport to the outside of Sector K."

"Mark. Begin translation," a Castle Knight at a computer announced. Fabia lifted her head proudly and professionally, staring at the wall as her form disintegrated. Rafe and Linus were equally relaxed as they were transported, and then the scenery changed.

Now, the three of them were standing on the top of a large pillar of stone. It was dark, too dark to make out anything other than the constellations high above. A powerful, cool breeze blasted the three Castle Knights with a strength that surprised Princess Fabia, but she didn't show it. No one would have been able to see even if she had shown her emotion though.

"Don't move, any of you," Rafe warned. "I don't know how close we are to the edge."

"Rafe is right," Fabia agreed after a moment. "If we're not careful, we'll fall."

"Right. Hold on," Linus said, and then a bright glow appeared to Fabia's left. One also illuminated her right, alerting her that Rafe and Linus were changing into their human forms. She blinked, taking the opportunity to search for the edge of the cliff. Her eyes widened, noticing it not three inches from her right foot. She stumbled back from the edge in surprise, but in doing so, her foot slipped.

The next thing she knew, there was nothing beneath her, and she was falling. A horrified scream escaped her lips, and Rafe and Linus shouted in shock. "Princess!" they both yelled, and Aranaut began to glow. "Princess Fabia!" he shouted in a blind panic. His large white form appeared in front of the cliff, but he still couldn't see Fabia. Fabia squeezed her eyes shut in horror, expecting to feel herself slam into the ground at any moment, but just then, strong arms encased her, bridal style.

Fabia didn't allow herself sight until she felt the vibrations of her savior's feet on solid ground. Her eyes opened in surprise, and she blinked, trying to see through the nearly impenetrable darkness. After a few moments, and with the aid of a powerful beam of light, she was able to make out the face of the one who risked his live to save hers.

"Shun?" she exclaimed as he placed her on her feet. He smirked at her, amused.

"Sure didn't expect to find you falling," he told her, and she smiled.

"Princess Fabia!" Linus cried from above. He and Rafe had both thrown down their Bakugan and were standing on their shoulders, trying to find Fabia. Alive or dead they didn't know, for they had not heard Shun's voice. Rafe looked scared and Linus very worried, and Fabia now understood Elright's insistence at her safety. She hadn't even gotten involved in a battle, and yet she had almost died. She sighed.

"I'm fine!" she called, and she could clearly hear the sighs of relief from all of them.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Aranaut asked, kneeling down to make sure that she was in one piece despite her previous assurance.

"I'm fine, don't worry," she smiled.

"Shun! Don't do that, man, especially in the dark!" a deep, fearful voice called as a familiar bulky figure appeared behind the white-clad ninja.

"Sorry Jake," Shun apologized. Wolfurio and Rubanoid set their brawlers gently on the ground, just behind Fabia, and then began to glow, swirling into their Bakugan balls. Aranaut did the same thing, and the three Nethian Castle Knights easily caught them. Linus and Rafe seemed to be straining their eyes to see, and then a powerful beam of light cut through the darkness. Fabia closed her eyes instinctively, blinking to get used to the flashlight. It was then turned away from the Nethians and pointed at it's wielder, revealing none other than Shun and Jake of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers.

The two of them were clad in their Castle Knight uniforms, reflecting the light harshly off the white material. Fabia forced herself to meet their gazes despite the painful glare, as did Rafe and Linus. Linus smiled, and Rafe's eyes widened when he realized who he was looking at. Shun grinned, and then Jake smiled. "Hey Fabia!" he grinned.

"Hey!" she replied.

"Hi Linus," Shun greeted him.

"It's good to see you, my friend," Linus nodded with a friendly smile. Rafe stepped forward, reaching out a hand.

"Hello, I'm Rafe, a Haos Castle Knight," he saluted. "And this is my Guardian Bakugan, Haos Wolfurio."

"It's an honor to meet you," Wolfurio said politely from Rafe's shoulder. Shun and Jake grinned, and Shun took his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Rafe," he said solemnly. "My name is Shun. Shun Kazami. My partner Bakugan-"

"Ventus Hawktor, right?" Rafe interupted eagerly. Shun raised an eyebrow at him, and shook his head. Rafe's face fell. "Huh?"

"Hawktor and I parted a few days ago, when Princess Fabia sent me back to Earth," Shun told him.

"That's the same with me and Coredom," Jake supplied. "I'm Jake, by the way. Jake Vallorie. At this point, I don't have a partner Bakugan."

"It's an honor to meet you," Rafe repeated, nodding respectfully.

"My new partner," Shun said, holding out a closed hand, "is Ventus Taylean." He opened his fist and the ninja-like Bakugan popped out, nodding to Rafe, and then turning toward Princess Fabia.

"My lady," he nodded, then jumped out of Shun's hand to float toward her. She held out her hand, where he landed.

"I don't think I know you, Taylean, but I'm sure we'll get to know each other well in the next few weeks. Isn't that correct, Shun?" Fabia asked, her face suddenly quite grim. Linus and Rafe exchanged surprised glances, and even Shun looked taken aback.

"How did you know we were coming with a request for help?"

"Well the message we got was an emergency transmission from Marucho," Rubanoid pointed out. Linus's mouth quirked.

"Somehow, I don't think that's how she knew," Jake pointed out. Fabia shrugged, then looked at Shun seriously. She held out her hand and let Taylean join Shun again.

"What happened?" she asked. Shun glanced at Jake, who was looking at him nervously. Shun sighed, and returned her serious look.

"I'll explain in the throne room. It'll be easier than explaining twice," he said. Fabia nodded, then pressed a few buttons on her Baku-Meter. It began to glow then, and Elright's voice filtered through.

"I see you on the monitor," he told her. "Shun and Jake have arrived?"

"Yes," Fabia reported. "We're ready to be transported."

"Alright. Prepare for transport." She heard him call out an order to transport them into the castle then, and the next thing she knew, she was standing in a brightly lit blue and white room. She and the others blinked several times, taking a few moments to adjust and blink the flashbulbs away. In that time, Commander Elright joined them on the platform, grabbing Shun and Jake's hands in greeting.

"My greetings to you, Brawlers," he said respectfully, bowing. Rafe and Linus watched with mild interest as Shun and Jake returned his handshakes. Shun looked at him seriously.

"We need to see the queen. It's very important," he told him. Elright blinked at him, and stepped to the side to let them step down.

"Of course," he permitted. "I'll join you."

"Thank you, Sir," Jake nodded. Elright grinned at him, and then three blurs of color shot over to their position.

"Jake!"

"Shun!"

"Where's my Marucho?"

Shun grinned at Hawktor as he floated in front of his face, while Jake let out a loud, "COREDOM!" and grabbed the Sub-Terra Bakugan out of the air. Akwimos looked around wildly, clearly trying to figure out where his previous brawler was.

"Is little Marucho with you? Come on, Maruch! Come on out, little guy!"

Fabia giggled as she watched the runion between Jake and his Bakugan, as well as Akwimos's attempts to get Marucho to pop out from behind Linus or Rafe yelling "Surprise!" Then Akwimos turned to her, bouncing around in front of her face.

"Come on, Princess! Where's Marucho?"

"He's not here," she told him, but he didn't seem to want to take no for an answer.

"Aw, come on, I can keep a secret! Promise! Pretty please?" Shun glanced over at the hyper Bakugan as Fabia struggled to follow his energetic aerodynamics and shook his head.

"Akwimos," he said. Akwimos turned around to look at him. "Marucho went to Gundalia to go fetch Ren and the others. But we'll be needing all the help we can get, so would you mind-"

"Of course I'll help you, if that means I get to see my ol' pal Marucho!" Akwimos cried, and Shun allowed a small smile.

"I'll help you as well, Shun," Hawktor promised.

"And I as well," Coredom called over Jake's sobbing. "Someone has to keep Jake in line."

"Aw, thanks man!" Jake shouted, earning another fit of giggles from Fabia and causing Rafe to double over, struggling to hold back his fit of laughter. Linus was silent, standing stiffly while focusing on the wall. Elright glanced at him and sighed, and when Fabia glanced at Linus, she felt pity fill her up as well. Linus must have been remembering good times with Neo, his previous Bakugan. Her face fell, memories of her fiance berating her, and Aranaut popped out on her shoulder.

"Linus. Rubanoid," he said, and Linus and his Bakugan glanced at Aranaut. "Fabia. Remember: "To live in hearts we leave behind, Is not to die"(Thomas Campbell, "Hallowed Ground")". Fabia smiled at the quote, as did Linus. Rubanoid perked up then, and Jake's tears of joy subsided.

"Shall we go to the throne room now?" Elright asked, impressed by Aranaut's wisdom.

"Yes," Shun nodded. And with that, the group filed out of the room. Fabia led the way to her sister's throne room, the room that would soon become her own. They walked in silence, but before long, they had reached the guarded door to Serena's throne room.

"We wish to speak to my sister," Fabia told them, and the guards saluted her.

"Of course, Princess Fabia," they replied in unison. The door to the throne room lifted, revealing a rather tired looking Queen Serena in a white robe sitting on the throne. Her eyes widened when she saw Shun and Jake, both of which dropped to one knee in respect before her. Rafe and Linus mimicked this action, but a flick of the wrist from the queen permitted them to rise again.

"My goodness," she exclaimed. "This is an unexpected surprise. What can I do for you, Brawlers?"

"Good evening," Shun greeted, stepping forward. "I'm sorry to bother you at this hour of the night, but its an emergency." Serena blinked in surprise, and straightened in her seat, glancing at her younger sister. Fabia shrugged and Serena turned back to Shun. "We need a favor," he continued.

"Anything for the group who saved our homeland," Serena replied. Shun opened his mouth to speak, but Jake beat him to it.

"Dan-the-Man's disappeared, and we think it's got something to do with some baddies!"

**Thank you for your previous reviews guys, I really appreciate it.**

**Review!**


	6. Gundalian Savior

**"It is hard to detect good luck-it looks so much like something you've earned," -Frank A. Clark**

If there were such thing as an impossible task, Ren was sure he was doing it.

He had been wandering around the only undamaged part of Gundalia for hours, searching for Jesse. Why he was searching for the slightly annoying philosopher that happened to confuse everyone he met was beginning to bother him, since the poetic Gundalian seemed no where to be found.

Nurzak had requested that Ren find all the Minor Twelve Orders and gather them in his secret hideout about a half hour ago, and Ren had found Lena, Zenet, and Mason with little problem. Zenet and Lena had been using their Bakugan to move big piles of ruble, while Mason and Avior were having an argument again. After directing them to the secret lair, he had set out in search of Jesse. Lena told him that Jesse had gone to find Paige, a young Gundalian soldier who would soon be drafted to Earth to learn from the Brawlers. That had given Ren a slight lead, but not by much. He was still for the most part in the dark about Jesse's location.

"Ren," Linehalt said softly. Ren blinked, glancing at his shoulder, where Linehalt rested.

"Yes?" Ren asked, slowing to a stop in the hallway. Linehalt jumped off of Ren's shoulder, floating in front of his face. He bobbed up and down peaceably, disguising the destructive and powerful force that he held within himself.

"Perhaps wandering aimlessly is not the best way to approach this situation," the Darkus Bakugan suggested. Ren blinked, then sighed, running a hand through his silver hair.

"I know, Linehalt," he yawned, his eyes drooping from lack of sleep. "But we don't have a lead on where Jesse is."

"You can't call him on his Baku-Meter?" Linehalt asked. Ren shook his head.

"We only have our Baku-Meters in human form, unless we're in a Castle Knight uniform," Ren told his Bakugan. "Jesse and the others changed back into their Gundalian forms, re-" He was cut off by a voice that cut through the dim light of the hallway.

"Ren?" He blinked, lifting his arm. The purple crystal of his Castle Knight uniform met his gaze. "Ren?" The voice came again. Ren narrowed the golden orbs of his eyes at the purple crystal, confused. "Ren, come in, can you hear me?"

"Marucho...?" Ren asked slowly. Linehalt floated closer to the crystal, trying to hear better.

"Ren! Thank goodness," Marucho exclaimed. "I'm so glad I got a hold of you."

"Marucho! Not that I'm not glad to talk to you, but, how-?" Ren was cut off a moment later.

"No time for explanations, Ren," Marucho interrupted. "Sorry to cut in, but I need you to make it to the edge of Dalia's Valley. It's very important!"

"What? Marucho, please, what's going on?" Ren asked. Marucho seemed in a hurry, and a voice sounded in the background. It was feminine, and sounded a little scared but that was all that Ren could make out. She was just too far away from the speaker.

"Huh? What the-," Marucho cried. His voice sounded as though he had turned his head, slightly muffled. "Uh, Ren? Please, bring your teammates if you have to, but we really need you to come. It's really, really important that we bring the news we have to Nurzak!"

Then came another feminine voice, and Marucho gave a small gasp of surprise. Ren stiffened. He and Linehalt exchanged glances, Ren's perplexed and nervous, while Linehalt's was rather hard to read. He was a Bakugan, after all. They communicated in silence for a moment. As they had grown up in the dark together, naturally, they had come up with their own form of communication when the silence seemed to fragile to break. Their secret language was hard to explain, using eye movements and other small, otherwise undetectable gestures to communicate. They were only able to communicate thanks to the little light that reached their dismal sanctuary, as it had been just enough to cast the shadows that revealed the secret messages. They relied on that secret language now once again, relaying messages in the dark.

_What do you think is going on?_ Ren asked.

_I'm not sure, but it must be something important_, Linehalt responded by floating in different dirrections. _They requested an urgent meeting with Master Nurzak. Something must be seriously wrong._

_You don't think Earth is under attack, do you?_ Ren asked.

_No, I don't believe that is the case. If it were, they would have sent an SOS message, don't you think? Not a personalized message like the one we have just recieved,_ Linehalt pointed out. _Not only that, but I think that Marucho would have told us outright if that were the case._

._..You're right. We should go meet them_, Ren nodded.

"Ren?" Marucho asked. "Are you still there? Oh, please-"

"Yeah," Ren said into the Baku-Meter of his Castle Knight uniform. "I'm on it. I'll meet you at the edge of Dalia's Valley and escort you back to the Capital."

"Thank you Ren!" Marucho cried. "Hurr-" and then the connection was closed. Ren's eyes widened and he glanced at Linehalt, then nodded, a movement that was mimicked on a much smaller scale by the Darkus Bakugan. Without another word, they started to sprint down the hallway, heading for the exit of the feebly lighted corridor maze. However, before they could get very far, another voice cut through the gloom.

"Ah, here he is!" The voice was surprisingly deep and raspy, almost as if its owner had smoked cigarettes for the majority of its life. Or at least, from what Marucho had told Ren about cigarettes, that's what he could discern.

"It would appear you are correct, milady," a slightly accented voice chimed in. "Consider yourself lucky, Ren," he quipped as Ren turned, "for good luck seldom comes in pairs, but bad luck never walks alone!" (Chinese proverb).

"Jesse, Paige," Ren exclaimed, impressed that he had finally found them. "We've been looking for you."

"Well it looks like you found us," Paige smirked, crossing her arms across her camoflage top. Ren's eyebrows creased in confusion at her clothes, and her pale, peach colored skin.

"More like we found them," Mason commented, coming around the corner. Ren stared at him, his mouth dropping open slightly when he saw Zenet with him, as well as Lena. They all were smirking, and Mason had taken on a slightly more feminine pose with a hand on his waist, his thumb hooked on his belt. Lena sported her sleeveless trench-coat like blue jacket, and Zenet her belly shirt, white skirt and blue pants. Jesse, Ren realized, was also in his human form, as was Paige. He blinked, curious.

"Why are you all in your human bodies?" he asked, looking them up and down. Paige stretched her arms by locking her hands behind her head, at the base of her head, and smirked at him.

"They were teaching me, since Master Nurzak told me that I'd be teaming up with Rafe from Nethia to go to Earth in a little while," she told him.

"Huh?" Ren blurted, glancing at Mason and Jesse. "What's she talking about?"

"Marucho sent us an SOS message just a little while after you left to go find Jesse," Mason told him, starting to walk toward Ren, whose eyes were wide.

"We were told that an envoy would be transported to Gundalia within the hour," Zenet explained excitedly as she darted over to Ren, still sounding slightly congested. "So we figured we had to come find you! I mean, you get along best with the Brawlers anyway!" Ren's surprised look softened, and his head tilted downward. His eyes flicked toward his Baku-Meter, which glinted slightly when he curled his fingers into a fist. Zenet blinked at him.

"What's wrong, Ren?" Lena asked, noticing the agitated movement.

"We aren't getting in your hair, are we, Ren?" Jesse asked, flipping through his ever-present book. Ren shot him a confused look.

"He means we're not bothering you, are we?" Plitheon translated. Ren shook his head.

"No, not at all," he assured them. "It's just... I just got a message from Marucho on my Baku-Meter." Eyes all around darted to meet others, obviously impressed and confused when Ren held the purple crystal up for them to see. "He told me to meet him up at the edge of Dalia's Valley. He said it was very important." They were silent for a brief moment, exchanging glances. When Mason stepped past Ren, all eyes flicked to him.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going then," he grinned. "Don't want the Brawlers to get lost, now do we? Not when things are this important, right?" Ren stared at him, then smiled.

"Right! Come on, let's go," he said, taking off down the hall. Mason started right after him, and then Paige eagerly followed. Lena nodded at Zenet and Jesse, then they began their chase.

Paige matched Ren's pace easily while Mason fell behind, and Ren was impressed with the stamina of the Sub-Terra Brawler in training. She wasn't even panting badly, unlike Mason behind him. He grinned wryly, but then turned his gaze ahead again, not that he needed to pay the way ahead any heed. He knew these halls like the back of his hand.

It was mere moments before they had reached the outside of the castle and were able to breathe the fresh yet slightly musty, cool, underground air. Ren was used to this, as were his comrades, but all of them, with the exception of Paige, wrinkled their noses slightly. Even though this smelled like home to all of them, it was little comparison to Nethia's clear and warm evening air.

Ren turned his head in the direction of Dalia's Valley, which was actually rather far off. It had to be at least a mile away, and that was the edge of it that was closest to the capital. The edge that Marucho had been talking about was the far edge of Dalia's Valley, the one that was just about impossible to reach on foot. Ren squinted in that direction, thinking he could see a small blur of blue, but he wasn't completely sure.

"We're not gonna walk that whole way, are we?" Avior asked. In response, Ren grabbed Linehalt out of the air, then jumped up.

"Bakugan brawl! Bakugan stand!" Linehalt rose up out of his ball while Ren landed on his feet on the ground after doing a flip.

"Impressive," Lena smirked at Ren, adjusting her glasses. Ren grinned at her, then turned to Jesse.

"You and PlitheonPlitheon can fly Lena and Zenet, right?" he asked. Jesse glanced at the floating green ball beside his head, who started bouncing up and down.

"Of course we can!" A bright green glow grew from PlitheonPlitheon's body, making everyone grimace and look away. Plitheon emerged from his all almost soundlessly, letting out a hawk-like screech that echoed thanks to the nearby valley.

It only took about thirty seconds for everyone to get situated. Lena and Zenet climbed on Plitheon's right shoulder while Jesse sat on Plitheon's left one. Paige, Ren, and Mason were lifted to Linehalt's left shoulder, and Ren rested one knee on Linehalt's shoulder while bracing a hand against the Darkus Bakugan's neck. Paige and Mason stood but leaned on Linehalt's neck nervously, and Ren squinted at the blur of blue on the horizon. Had it moved?

"Linehalt, can you see that little bit of blue over there?" Ren asked, pointing in the relative direction of the color blurb.

"Yes," Linehalt said in his gentle voice. Ren grinned.

"Does it look like anything worth checking out?"

"Huh? I thought we were looking for two humans," Paige protested. Ren glanced at her.

"Marucho battles with an Aquos Bakugan name Akwimos," Ren explained. "I was thinking that he might have been freed from his ball form upon arrival at Gundalia, and that Marucho and his friend are riding on him."

"But Ren, didn't Marucho return Akwimos to Princess Fabia?" Zenet called. Ren's brow creased in confusion, then he sighed, rubbing his temple.

"Yeah... he did... he told me in a message sent through Interspace." Ren was silent for a brief moment, then spoke again. "But he might have gotten a new partner."

"In just forty eight hours time?" Lena disagreed. "It seems highly unlikely."

"Why are we sitting around playing guessing games? We could have been there by now!" Avior complained from Mason's shoulder.

"Pipe down," Mason grumbled, irritated as usual, but the blue haired boy turned his gaze to Ren. Ren didn't notice, as he was looking at his Baku-Meter again.

"Marucho?" he said to it. "Marucho, are you there?" A moment of silence ensued, but then a voice responded.

"Ren?" It sounded fearful and timid.

"Marucho, we're heading to your location right now. Linehalt and Plitheon are leading the way, so when you see them, wave and tell me," Ren told him. The line was silent for a moment, and then Marucho sniffed.

"R-Ren, please, hurry!"

"Marucho? What's wrong?" Ren demanded, attracting the attention of all the others.

"Ren?" Linehalt asked softly.

"Hurry, let's go, something's wrong," Ren gasped, pointing toward the blue blur in the brown underworld. Linehalt jumped into the air, flapping his wings as he headed toward the edge of Dalia's Valley. Plitheon followed, and all six teens gripped the necks of the Bakugan transporting them tightly, hoping to avoid falling.

"Marucho?" Ren yelled into the crystal again, hoping that he would get a response. He thought he could hear a few yells and cries in the background, but that might have just been the wind whistling in his ears. "Marucho, come on, answer me," he growled, nervous as he lifted his gaze. "Marucho!"

"Ren..." Marucho whispered into the crystal. "Ren, we need..." The end of his sentence was lost in the wind, and Ren narrowed his eyes at the crystal. "We need help!" the boy repeated, anguished.

"Marucho, tell us where you are!" Ren cried, scanning the horizon, agonized with fear for his friend.

"Marucho! Come on, you gotta pull it together, buddy," a voice filtered through the Baku-Meter, not feminine or Marucho's.

"Ability activate! Sh-shield cyclone! Hurry Ren!" That was Marucho.

"Linehalt, come on, we've gotta find them!" Ren shouted.

"Ren!" Ren turned his gaze toward Jesse, who was pointing in front of Plitheon. "There! As I always say, X marks the spot!" Ren hastened to follow Jesse's gesture, his eyes scanning the horizon eagerly. The blue blur that Ren had spotted from the Capital had more than doubled in size, and was starting to take on a humanoid shape. Multicolored lights were flashing near him, and small pops and hisses were reaching Ren's ears now. And just as Jesse had said, the lights seemed to form small X's in the air.

"Linehalt!" Ren ordered.

"Hold on tight," Linehalt warned, putting on more speed as he hurried toward the battle taking place a little over two miles away.

"Plitheon! Keep on them!" Jesse recited, pointing at Linehalt's speeding form.

"Don't worry, I see them!" Plitheon reassured, picking up speed. The Gundalians all latched onto some raised ledge on their respective "rides", trying not to be thrown into the air.

"Marucho!" Ren shouted as he spotted a small, white and blue clad boy on the ground. The boy didn't seem to hear him. He was kneeling next to a dark skinned girl, whose leg was bent out at an awkward angle and was lying still. Ren's eyes widened when he noticed the dirt crusted on Marucho's white uniform, and how his hair was plastered to his face. The same was the case for the silver haired girl on the ground, who looked slightly familiar to Ren. Marucho's glasses were glinting in the light of the battle, and an ability card was glowing in his hand.

"Julie?" Zenet muttered, confused. "Yeah, that's her name, right? Julie?" Suddenly, a beam of light shot forward from the Bakugan Marucho was battling. Everyone yelped, and Marucho gasped, looking up at the Aquos Bakugan in front of him. The Bakugan let out a cry of pain as the blast collided with his front, and Marucho cried out in anguish.

"Tristar!"

"Heh. If this is what we were tasked to keep away from Linehalt, I don't see why the Master was even bothered," a deep, feminine voice with a trace of an English accent smirked. Ren frowned, confused. Ren and the others were now within earshot, but a thick cover of flying dust masked their presence from the enemy. The dust cloud covered only her part of the battlefield, and Ren was blind to what he was up against. Her comment bothered him, but he forced it from his mind. Marucho and his friend were his top priority right now.

"Paige, Mason, you guys go and see if Marucho needs any help," he said softly. "Throw down your Bakugan on defense, but wait for my signal before doing anything."

"Got it," Mason nodded.

"Leave it to me!" Paige grinned. Ren didn't acknowledge their replies.

"Jesse, Lena, Zenet," he called as quietly as possible. The three heads were already turned toward him. "I need you three to back me up. Stay between Avior and Boulderon, and Linehalt and I. I'll take on this lady."

"Ren, you're gonna need-" Zenet started, but Ren shook his head.

"Don't worry about me, Zenet. If I'm getting beaten badly, I'll give you a signal, and then you can step in. But until then, I'm gonna take her on. I'll be fine."

"If you say so..." Zenet shrugged. Ren nodded at Mason and Paige, then at Lena and Zenet. The four of them grinned, dashing to the edge of the shoulders of their Bakugan rides and jumping off.

"Bakugan brawl!" they shouted in unison. "Bakugan stand!"

Marucho looked up in shock, as did Tristar. "Huh?" Tristar exclaimed. "Who's attacking us now?"

"Not attack, help!" Marucho cried, a wide smile spreading over his face as Phosphos, Contestir, Avior and Boulderon all rose from their balls. They all caught their brawlers easily, and then lowered them to the ground near Marucho and the unconscious girl with him.

"Lena! Zenet! Mason! Jesse!" Marucho cried happily, taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes. "Thank you so much!"

"Yeah well, we kinda owed you," Mason muttered. Paige rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you were just as excited to find him as the rest of us," she pointed out. Mason glared at her and looked up at Avior, who was standing on the left side of Tristar. Marucho blinked up at Paige, adjusting his glasses so that he could see her better. There was dirt on them, though, so his visibility was greatly diminished. "I'm Paige, a Gundalian Soldier."

"Nice to meet you, Paige, I'm Marucho Marakura," Marucho nodded, but then he noticed that her Bakugan was a Sub-Terra. His eyes widened, and he whirled around. "Julie!" he cried, running toward the Vetran Sub-Terra brawler. Paige and Mason watched with interest, whereas Zenet and Lena had started to run behind their Bakugan should Ren need their help.

"Julie," Marucho whispered, kneeling down next to his friend. "Julie, come on, wake up!"

"Julie," Gorem was saying softly, worried as he floated over her head.

"Whoa, what happened?" Mason asked, taking in the unconscious, limp form of the Sub-Terra brawler. Marucho glanced at him, his eyes clouded with worry.

"We came out of the Gate a little while ago, and since I knew where we were, I called Ren," he said softly. "But while we were talking, this Nethian lady showed up over there." Marucho pointed toward where the smoke cloud covered everything. "She just threw down three Bakugan and then attacked us, without even giving us a chance to throw down ours. A few flying rocks hit Julie, and I think they hit her on the head and maybe her leg... But she doesn't have a Bakugan that would have been strong enough to save her, so she was virtually defenseless anyway. I threw down Tristar, but even though he has a power lever of one thousand two hundred, we didn't stand a chance!"

"A Nethian?" Mason questioned. "Are you sure?" Marucho nodded, looking upset.

"But that makes no sense at all!" Paige protested. "Nethians are really peaceful and kind, and, and... Rafe is nothing like that!"

"Well, we'll just have to find out what her motivation is, now won't we, Plitheon?" Jesse smirked.

"Whatever, as long as I get to kick some butt!" Plitheon growled. "Jesse! Let's clear things up a bit!"

"Ability activate! Drake twister!" Jesse pulled a card out of his book, and it glowed. Plitheon let loose a huge blast of wind, right into the heart of the dust cloud. Within seconds, the area was clear, and three Bakugan were clearly visible: Haos Krowll, Sub-Terra Vertexx, and Ventus Spyron.

Ren and Linehalt glanced around, identifying their targets. The three Bakugan were easy enough, Ren was sure, but as he looked around, his eyes fell upon a small, dark clad Nethian woman. His eyes narrowed. That didn't make sense. The Gundalians had just made peace with the Nethians, and not only that, the Nethians were peaceful in nature. They would never pick a fight. Ren knew that from Fabia, and it seemed odd that this woman wore black, of all colors. All of the Nethians Ren had seen on Nethia had worn white. And yet, this woman clearly had the angular Nethian facial features, and the same eyes that were absent of pupils. Her black hair was tied up above her head, but at the end of the strands, it merged together like webbing. Ren made a face as the hair moved on its own, almost as though it were a hand or something. It floated up behind her, and a wicked grin graced her features.

"Well, it looks as though the famous Ren Krawler and I finally have the pleasure of meeting in person," the lady smirked.

"Who are you?" Ren demanded, glaring at her. Her knowledge of his name made him a little uneasy, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "Why did you attack Marucho?" She was silent for a moment, flashing her knowing smirk in his direction. She and the others were silent for quite some time, and when they did speak again, Ren was angered by her words.

"I hate to cut this little encounter of ours short, but I do believe it is high time I return to my master," the lady bowed formally, holding her right hand out in front of her. "I do believe, however..." The three Bakugan under her control glowed, and then swirled back into their ball forms. They shot toward her hand, and she caught them easily. She straightened up, still smirking. "...That we will be meeting again very soon. Farewell, Ren Krawler!" And then, her form vanished from sight, leaving behind a small trail of sparkles.

Ren glared at the spot she had been standing for a moment, confused and angered, then turned back toward Marucho. "Marucho!" he cried, and Linehalt turned to face Tristar. Tristar was kneeling next to Marucho, who was forcing a smile up at him. Julie laid next to him, still unconscious, and another Bakugan had joined Tristar. He was a large, no, huge, Sub-Terra Bakugan, and he reminded Ren of a mythical creature on Earth known as a golem. Ren blinked at it, and it's deep, slow voice reached his ears.

"Julie, wake up," he was saying, sounding worried. Linehalt and the others landed nearby the humans and their Bakugan, and Ren jumped down from Linehalt's shoulder. He landed easily on his feet, and he dashed toward the small Aquos brawler.

"Marucho!" Marucho looked up, startled, but once he realized that it was his friend that had called his name, a smile took over.

"Hey Ren! Thanks for coming," he said, but then his face fell again and he turned back to Julie.

"It was nothing, you would have done the same thing for me, I'm sure of it," Ren told his friend. He extended a hand toward the boy, and Marucho took it, smiling thankfully as he was pulled to his feet.

"We need to get her some help, Ren," Lena warned him, taking a look at Julie's leg. "That leg can't alright if its bent at that angle." Ren nodded, and turned to Marucho.

"You can explain why you came when we get to the capital, right?" he asked, and Marucho hesitated.

"Something bad happened, and we needed to get help," he began. Everybody stared at him, hungry for knowledge. Marucho looked down at Julie. "Runo and Alice, two friends of ours, went to a planet called Vestal to find a few of our former allies to help us. Jake and Shun went to Nethia to go get Princess Fabia and Linus to help us, and I came here with Julie to get some help from you guys."

"But what do you need help with?" Zenet asked bluntly, sounding very curious.

"Well, Dan just disappeared this morning, and none of us have any idea where he is," Marucho told them, meeting Mason's gaze. The Gundalians stared at him.

"Well, how do you know he just didn't run away for a little while, or go in vacation?" Paige asked after a moment. Marucho shook his head and opened his mouth to answer, but Ren beat him to the punch.

"He's not the kind of person that would run away. I know that, because if he were, he wouldn't have helped out Nethia in the war." Paige was silent, and Ren glanced at Marucho.

"He's definately not on vacation," the small boy said softly. "His mother was the one that found that he was missing, and he didn't even take Drago." That caught everyone's attention, and eyes widened around the circle.

"He didn't bring his Bakugan?" Linehalt asked.

"But that doesn't make sense at all," Contestir protested. Marucho sighed.

"Exactly. The thing is, this morning, when Drago woke up, Dan wasn't in his bed, and the bed sheets were ripped. But in the hamper in the bathroom-"

"The what in the bathroom?" Paige interrupted.

"Paige!" Ren said sharply, slightly irritated.

"Sorry Sir," Paige stammered.

"A hamper is a place where you put dirty clothes," Marucho told her. "In the hamper, though, the police found his nightclothes, all soaked in sweat." Confused glances darted throughout the circle. "And on top of that, his Castle Knight uniform had disappeared."

"But that makes no sense," Lena adjusted her glasses, looking baffled. Marucho nodded.

"Exactly. None of us could figure out what happened, and the police are no help because, well, I don't think this is a normal case," he said.

"Marucho thinks that Dan was kidnapped by one of the Brawler's previous enemies," Tristar muttered, sounding skeptical. "But listen! It's not likely, since all of the enemies of the Brawlers are dead." Ren glanced at Jesse and Mason, while Paige was still looking at Marucho. Zenet looked confused and Lena was clearly lost in thought. Marucho sighed.

"I know it seems unlikely Tristar, but I can't think of anyone else that has a bigger grudge against Dan or Drago! And besides, it doesn't look like he ran away, or he would have taken Drago or some food. He's not stupid. And because Drago was left there, it seems like he was kidnapped."

"Then explain why he took a shower before he got spirited away!" Tristar asked him. Marucho sighed.

"I don't know! It makes no sense!"

"Let's all calm down," Jesse piped up. The gazes turned to him, where he was sitting, cross legged, on the ground, flipping through his book. "Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act, Of the imperial theme"(William Shakespeare, Macbeth). Everyone stared at him.

"Huh?" Ren muttered. Marucho blinked, confused. Lena and Mason just shook their heads and sighed, while Zenet and Plitheon seemed to be the only two that understood him, But Paige didn't give them a chance to explain.

"Look, I don't know what you just said, but I think it's more important to get the injured girl here to where she can be helped," she growled. "Boulderon." She held out a hand, and her large Sub-Terra Bakugan glowed, swirling back into his ball. He flew into her hand, and she closed her fingers around him easily. She glared around at everyone, stalking over to Linehalt. Ren stared at her and sighed, then nodded at Linehalt.

"Marucho, I think you'll have to explain again in front of Master Nurzak," he said, looking at Marucho out of the corner of his eye. "Linehalt will carry Julie, and you can stay next to her if you want." Marucho smiled at Ren.

"Thanks Ren," he said. Tristar shrugged, glowing. Marucho glanced at him and opened his hand. Tristar reverted back into ball form within seconds, and then he landed gently in Marucho's hand. He jumped up and floated on Marucho's shoulder while Gorem joined Julie in ball form. Linehalt's gentle hands scooped the two humans up from the ground, cupping them gently. Plitheon was taking care of Lena, Zenet, Mason and Jesse now, and with that assurance, the two winged Bakugan jumped up, taking to the air with ease.

Marucho held Julie's hand gently, hoping to comfort the poor girl should she wake up on their journey. He looked at her slightly pale face worriedly, but then lifted his gaze to the earthen ceiling. He glared up at it, half expecting to see that mysterious Nethian that had attacked him. What exactly had she wanted with him? And who was she?

**Sorry if that sounded choppy... I think I added a bit more than I wanted to... Hm.**

**Anyway, thank you all for your reviews!**

**Review!**


	7. I'm not afraid

**"A day without laughter is a day wasted," - Charlie Chaplin**

Dan paused between words, an unsettling chill traveling down his spine. He shuddered, and the pink haired boy to his left blinked.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Dan shook his head, rubbing the back of it.

"No, don't worry, it's nothing," he forced a grin, which was surprisingly easy given his situation. Lync blinked at him, but shrugged. "Anyway, I fell out of the Gate into a river, and then someone in the Twelve Orders pulled me out. Barodius basically just said that he was alive, and told Airzel and Stoica to bring me here. I ran and fell in the river, Strikeflyer, Airzel's Bakugan, fished me and Stoica out since Stoica jumped in after me, and then they just carried me to the city. In the car I passed out, I guess, since that's all I remember until I woke up with you guys... So I guess that's it."

"Well Dan, sounds like you had a blast!" Shadow began to cackle like old times, earning an eye roll from Mylene and a weird look from Dan. "I didn't think that _you'd_ be caught so easily! If we knew that was all it would have taken to bring you and the Resistance down-"

"Oh come on, Shadow, this is serious," Mylene interrupted, but with slight annoyance rather than outright irritation. He raised an eyebrow at the two. Mylene was glaring at Shadow, but not the nasty, disgusted glare she used to give him. It was much more stern than angered. Shadow was smirking like he used to, but he seemed to just be messing with Dan. His smirk melted after a few seconds to be replaced with a disappointed expression.

"One would think that even you would be more serious right now, Shadow Prove," Hydron muttered. "Besides, those times are behind us."

"I was just trying to lighten the mood," he shrugged. "Everyone was just so tense..." Dan grinned at him, rubbing the back of his head again. He had done that several times in the past hour, and each time he did it, he felt the large bump that still hadn't gone down from yesterday. Dan had replayed the events in his head more than twenty times since he woke up the day before, and disbelief still ate away at him. It seemed so unlikely that Barodius was still alive. The same went for Kazarina, Gill, Airzel and Stoica. Dan had seen Dharak shoot down Gill's ship. He had seen Airzel and Strikeflyer jump in front of the ship to try to shield Gill from the attack. Their continued existence seemed impossible.

"Yeah well, I don't see why we shouldn't be," Sid growled. "They went and kidnapped him. They're gonna hold him hostage and try to get the power of the Sacred Orb. I think we have more than enough reason to be tense, smart guy." He was pointing at Dan with his thumb.

"Hmph," Shadow grunted, running a hand through his spiky hair. "Stick in the mud."

"Well, that's how I got here," Dan finished, leaning back against the chair. "How about you guys?"

Dan was sitting in a chair in a meeting room in the hallway where he and Lync, Volt, Mylene, Shadow Prove, Hydron, and Sid Arcale were being held by the Gundalians. They had all seemed quite surprised and relieved when Dan woke up, and Dan had been beyond astonished. After Mylene and Shadow had gotten sucked into the Death Bomb's portal, he, along with the Resistance, had all assumed they died. Dan remembered how they found the Alternative's plans, and that was thanks to Lync. But his single glove had given them the clue, and Alice had thought Lync died trying to give it to her. Dan never found out what happened to Volt, but since he hadn't seen him at the final battle, he had thought it safe to believe that the brawny Haos brawler had deserted the Vexos. As for Sid, Dan had seen him fall off the cliff himself. He had witnessed the sacrifice he made for Ren, and heard his dying words. The sight of him alive and annoyed had nearly given Dan a heart attack. Hydron gave Dan about as much of a fright as Sid had, especially since Hydron hadn't been around to witness Dan's awakening. He had been in the shower, so he had joined them an hour later. He had been surprised to see Dan to say the least.

Dan rested his head on a hand as he searched their faces for answers. Hydron sat directly across from him, his eyes narrowed at the wall as he twirled a lock of hair around his finger. Sid sat to Dan's left, seemingly annoyed. But that wasn't anything new to the brunette. Just about every time he had seen Sid, the blond seemed irritated. Volt sat to the left of Sid, his arms folded across his chest as he glared across the table at an empty seat in between Lync and Mylene. Shadow sat to the left of Volt, holding his head up in between his two hands. His lower lip stuck out as he looked up at the ceiling, thinking. Mylene sat on the other side of Hydron, who sat to Shadow's left. Mylene had her hands folded on the table in front of her, and her serious blue eyes glared down at her middle-finger gloves. Lync sat in between her and Dan, glaring into the corner.

Dan blinked at their reactions to his question. He hadn't expected this subject to be touchy for them. He was about to open his mouth to tell them that they didn't have to answer, but Mylene finally broke the awkward silence.

"When I threw down the Death Bomb inside Bakugan Interspace," she said bitterly, "I opened a portal into this dimension with only one intention. To bring down that traitor, Spectra." There was such bitterness and anger in her voice that Dan blinked at her. Inwardly, he was thankful it wasn't channeled at him, as he was reminded of his battle in Beta City with the woman and Shadow. Shadow was observing her secretly, as he hadn't seen her act this way since she retold this story to Lync, Volt, and later Hydron and Sid. "But I didn't know then that opening a Dimensional Gate inside a virtual environment like Bakugan Interspace would end so drastically." She smiled vainly, and her eyes were chips of ice. Dan shivered, but no one noticed.

"Well it wasn't entirely the Death Bomb's fault; we've been over this," Volt said. Dan stared at him, as he hadn't remembered the burly young man to be so talkative, even in battle. "Bakugan Interspace was a prototype then, Mylene. Nothing was very stable then, not even the battle environment."

"How did you know that?" Dan asked after a moment of silence. "I thought that the Resistance and the Brawlers were the only ones that knew that."

"You're really thick, aren't you?" Sid smirked at Dan. Dan turned to raise an eyebrow at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked suspiciously. Sid just smirked, then pointed at himself.

"We infiltrated Bakugan Interspace when it was first created, smart guy," he announced. Dan's eyes widened. "We didn't go there physically at first. Kazarina told us enough about the software and how unstable it was at that moment. Opening a Gate or even having our Bakugan transport us in would be too risky. And when Mylene threw down the Death Bomb, we were notified of the anomaly. Ren found it, since we were planning on infiltrating anyway and he needed to know what he was doing, and we found out what would happen if we tried to transport in.

"The system was pretty much destroyed, and we sort of abandoned hope of it getting rebuilt. Or at least, I did. Ren, though, seemed to think that that little guy, what was his name, Marucho, would be able to find a way to reboot Interspace. He had seen how smart that little kid was." Dan grinned proudly. Even people Marucho had not met had faith in him. "And then, three weeks later, the system was back online again. And Ren decided he'd try to fold in. The Emperor granted him clearance and our mission began, and Ren was successful... and well, I guess you know the rest." Sid smirked at the end of his explanation, and Dan frowned.

"You guys had your sights set on us from the very beginning, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yup," Sid said bluntly, a satisfied expression on his face. Dan glared at him, then turned to Mylene.

"Okay, so the Death Portal or whatever wasn't your fault. What happened after that?" he asked. Mylene sighed, her index fingers tapping against each other.

"I thought that by opening the portal, I'd only be sending Spectra and Mira to Displatis."

"Displatis?" Dan repeated, confused.

"Displatis is the name of this planet," she told him. Dan's mouth formed an "O" shape and he nodded, and she took that as an invitation to continue. "The Death Bomb caused Bakugan Interspace to shut down on itself, and Mira and Spectra tried to get Shadow and I out. We refused. That was probably one of the most foolish decisions of my life," she added softly. Shadow glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, as did Hydron and Lync, but Volt just glared at the table while Sid and Dan didn't hear her.

"We were transported to this golden dimension gap, and then we found ourselves in a black dimensional gate," Shadow continued. Mylene shot him a look, which he either ignored or didn't notice, but he kept speaking. "When we were spit out, we were just in the middle of a field. The first thing we noticed were the stars, and at first, I could have sworn we were on New Vestroia."

"Same here," Lync chimed in.

"Yeah," Volt agreed.

"Exactly," Hydron nodded. Mylene closed her eyes and grinned smugly, and then she began to continue the tale.

"We looked around for a while and saw lights about a mile away, so we walked to the city. There we found what looked like Vestal Technology." Dan perked up, noticing the similarity between his experience and hers.

"Was there a river near your field?" he asked, but she shook her head.

"There was no river. We weren't thrown in the water like you," she told him. He shrugged. "And there, a few people recognized us. They were Vestals, and seemed very surprised that we had been sent to this planet. They asked if King Zenoheld had found out about their colony, and since we had no idea what they were talking about, they didn't know what to think. Eventually they just avoided us. And then we found Lync and Volt." Dan turned his gaze to them. Lync was looking at the table while Volt seemed to be studying the far wall. Dan glanced between them, then decided to try talking to Lync.

"So... how did you get there?" he asked tentatively. Lync looked at him, tilting his head but not lifting it. Dan wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not, but Lync's cheeks looked a little pink. A muffled snicker reached Dan's ears and he glanced toward it, catching sight of Hydron with his hand pressed over his lips. Dan raised an eyebrow at him, throwing him a "you're weird" look before returning his gaze to Lync. Lync had grown an embarrassed smile since Dan looked away, but he had returned his gaze to the table. His fingers played with each other as he nervously searched for the right word to begin his explanation. He took too long, though, and Hydron clearly wanted to explain himself.

"He stole a copy of the Alternative's blueprints and ran away to Earth," he began. Dan grinned at Lync, who looked more than a little flustered.

"I- I knew that the Alternative would be wiping out entire worlds, and Zenoheld talked about destroying Earth first," Lync was on the defensive now. "But, I couldn't shake the feeling of regret at that. I mean, I remembered your kindness, Dan, and especially..." He trailed off, his cheeks red.

"Alice's?" Dan asked. Lync's cheeks grew redder, but he nodded.

"Yeah... I mean, she put up with me being so nasty toward herself and her grandfather. She didn't throw me out in the cold every night. She gave me food, and not just food, it was delicious. She's such a good cook..." He smiled goofily, and Sid looked really annoyed. Lync didn't speak for a moment, and Sid took the opportunity to clear his throat. Lync jumped, and started speaking again, his face red. "A-anyway, I couldn't bear the thought of her being killed with the rest of them. I knew that you guys could stop the Alternative Weapon System if you got its data, so I made an unauthorized copy of it. I transported myself to Moscow-"

"Where?" Sid asked rudely.

"Russia," Dan told him. He still looked clueless.

"It's a country on Earth," Volt said.

"Hmph." Sid grunted.

"I transported myself to Russia, but Mylene caught me. She told Zenoheld, and he sent Hydron after me before I could give Alice the data."

"Well it's not my fault you were staring at her through the window," Hydron muttered, crossing his arms and resting his feet on the table. Mylene shot him a look and he made a "What?" face. She shot a pointed look at his feet, then glanced back at his face. He rolled his eyes, but put his feet back under the table.

Lync's face was as red as a tomato at Hydron's last comment, and he stuttered as he tried to find a comeback. "Yeah, w-well, you were always waiting for your father to give you some pat on the head for everything you did! You only did what he asked because you were desperate for his approval!" Hydron shot to his feet, bracing his hands against the table.

"Shut up! Don't you see where I am now? I turned my back on him!"

Lync snickered. "Hey, calm down, dude," he baited. "I was just joking with ya!" Dan chuckled while Shadow started cackling like the insane hyena Mylene always accused him of being. Mylene rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. Volt raised an eyebrow and smirked, and Sid sneered. When Hydron sat back down, pink-cheeked and irritated, Lync continued.

"Anyway, Hydron ambushed me, and we battled. I won the first match, but he beat me in the next two. He destroyed Aluze, and then he ordered me to give back the Alternative Data. He threw down a Death Bomb, and I got stuck. He figured it would be the best and easiest way to get rid of the traitor and the data. But I hid the chip with the data on it in my glove before going to Earth, and I threw the glove over Hydron's shoulder." Hydron looked at him as if now a puzzle had been solved. "After that, I guess Alice found it, because Hydron told me you guys attacked the Alternative, and won."

"So you ended up here, too, huh?" Dan summed up. Lync nodded.

"I found Volt in this city."

"Huh? Volt was already here?" Dan asked, turning to Volt. Volt shrugged.

"Volt left one day," Mylene explained. "And Zenoheld and Hydron weren't very happy about it."

"My father sent me after Volt almost immediately," Hydron picked up. "And since Volt had headed to Vestal, we assumed the block Spectra placed between our ship and Vestal had lifted."

"What block?" Dan was confused.

"Spectra used the Vestal Destroyer to transmit a signal that blocked our transport paths to Vestal when he sent out that message about how he was no longer the leader of the Vexos," Volt finally spoke. "So when Shadow tried to head to Vestal to challenge you guys for the Attribute Energies, he couldn't make it. Which was when he-"

"-transported to Earth and attacked Alice," Dan finished. He shot the Darkus brawler a look. "Was that really necessary?"

"It was to keep fighting you," Shadow smirked. "If we didn't go after someone to lure you back to Earth, we wouldn't have been able to get anything done."

"Excuse me, but that was the battle where your Bakugan, Hades, was destroyed, correct?" A Darkus Bakugan popped out on Shadow's shoulder, on a black leather pad. Dan's eyes widened, and he searched for Drago again, expecting to find him on his own shoulder. But, once again, he was disappointed to recall that Drago was not with him.

"Yeah, Myriad Hades," Shadow muttered as the Darkus Bakugan hopped down onto the table. Dan's eyebrows creased in puzzlement.

"Greetings Human," the Bakugan bowed. "I am Darkus Myriad Hades, a Bakugan native to Displatis. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you, too," Dan muttered, realizing that this Bakugan must act a little bit like Tigrerra. He sweat dropped at the thought, and then found himself wondering something.

"Hey," he said, directing his question toward Mylene. "I thought Hades was a mechanical bakugan. Did you all find live Bakugan here?"

"The Hades Professor Clay built was a copy of Hydranoid, but with major improvements," Hydron explained. "But, it was based off of an evolved form of Hydranoid, which happens to be Hades. Myriad Hades is the evolved form of Hades, and has a power level of one thousand two hundred." Dan nodded, impressed.

"Yeah, we all found living Bakugan here on Displatis," Volt told Dan. He grinned, the first warm smile Dan had seen from him in ages, and he opened his hand. "I requested that we go to New Vestroia to find some after Mylene and Shadow found their Bakugan. I was curious to see if there were any Bakugan I was used to using there." The purple, gray and white Bakugan in his hand popped out, revealing four spokes that must be arms, two bat-like wings branching out from behind it's head, and a small, clown-like face. Dan grinned when he saw him, and looked at Volt. "I thought I'd never see him again after Gus won our brawl," he said. "And it was so lucky when I found him again. He had evolved since I had last seen him, and now he also has a power level of one thousand two hundred."

"How did Gus even get him anyway?" Dan asked. Volt shot a look at Mylene, who avoided his gaze. Dan glanced between the two of them, knowing he was missing something.

"Mylene threw out Elico and I just after she convinced Hydron to-"

"Shut it!" Hydron said sharply. Everyone turned toward him. He was tense, avoiding Dan's gaze. Dan sighed.

"Was this when Ves Palace blew up?"

"Exactly!" Brontes replied in a sing-songy voice.

"How did you know that?" Volt asked. Dan shrugged.

"You guys all got the Mechanical Bakugan after that."

"It was just after she convinced Hydron to blow it up!" Brontes cried. Dan rested his elbow on the table and pressed his head against his open palm, hiding his face. His shoulders shook, and everyone stared at him. After a moment, though, they could head small sounds from the teen, and their heads cocked to the side in curiosity. And then, he was laughing. He was laughing hard, and before long, he was gasping for breath in between laughing fits. Hydron stared at him with wide, confused eyes, and when Dan finally calmed down enough to speak, he took one look at Hydron's face and burst out laughing again.

"What's so funny?" Lync whispered to Mylene. She shrugged. After a few moments, Dan finally calmed down, wiping tears from his eyes.

"What was that about?" Shadow asked, blinking at his former enemy. Dan grinned at Hydron, still wiping the amused tears away.

"Seriously? Did you actually think you'd have a shot at killing me with a play like that?" he asked. Hydron stared at him while Dan chuckled. "Spectra had a bigger chance when he nearly cut my head off with his Guantlet sword!"

"It wasn't you we were going after. It would have been fortunate collateral damage on our part if we did manage to snare you in that net, though," Mylene told Dan. He fell silent when he glanced at her, puzzlement evident in his eyes.

"Then who-"

"Spectra." The eyes darted to Hydron now. His gaze was locked on his hands, clasped in front of him on the table. "We were going to finish Spectra off. He was a traitor, and we wanted to eradicate him." Dan was silent, but he spoke after a minute.

"Yeah... Well I guess that's all water under the bridge now, huh?" he said, hoping to avoid hostilities with the only allies he had in this situation. Hydron seemed surprised at Dan's somewhat pleasant reaction to his bloodlust and his eyebrows creased in confusion. Dan sighed. "Listen. We're all stuck here together, right? If we're at the mercy of the Gundalians-no offense Sid-"

"None taken," Sid grumbled.

"-then we need to be united. We can't be bothered by the past. We've just gotta let it go." Dan's gaze swept the room, pausing on each person's face. Most of the former Vexos were impressed at this suggestion, but Sid just smirked.

"You're smart, Kuso," Barodius growled inaudibly as he stared at the screen on the other side of the room. It took up the whole wall, and the image was zoomed in on Dan's grinning, hopeful face. The glow from it was the only light in the room, and thanks to it, eerie shadows were cast. It impressed the former Gundalian emperor that Dan was this strong; to smile in his current situation. In a way, though, it irritated him at the same time, and his eyes were narrowed in annoyance as he watched his adversary laugh in the face of danger.

Kazarina and Gill glared at the image of the young, powerful Pyrus brawler, while Stoica sported an insane grin. Airzel watched the boy seriously, his arms crossed as he stood by Gill's side.

"Shall we teach him the severity of his predicament, Master?" a young woman nearby asked. Barodius glanced at her, and at the Gundalian male to her left, taking in her sadistic smirk. The Gundalian had been staring at the screen, sizing up the famous Dan Kuso, but he turned to face the emperor on the throne when his comrade spoke. Barodius shook his head, then rested it on his bent wrist, which was supported by the elbow braced against the arm of his chair.

"No, let him build up hope and courage," he instructed absentmindedly. The Nethian blinked, but she wasn't discouraged. "Kuso isn't one to be easily thrown off. He'll smile in situations like this because of childish illusions like love and kindness. He thinks his friends will come and rescue him." Barodius smirked. "Those weaknesses are what will bring about his downfall."

"What an ignorant child," Kazarina agreed, flashing an evil grin at the screen. Gill glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, an action that was imperceptible in the nocturnal atmosphere of the room. Hatred welled up inside him for the attention-seeking, conniving scientist. She had gained the benevolence of the emperor, more so than himself, and caused the emperor to turn on him. Gill still craved the favor of the emperor, but as usual, it seemed that his affections laid with the blue-skinned Gundalian scientist. And that stirred up a hatred like none other in the Pyrus brawler, and he once again wished that her existence had been terminated.

"Will he never learn?" Gill found himself saying. Now it was Kazarina's turn to flash him a suspicious glare. Gill pretended not to notice. Her eyes flashed, and she turned back to the screen without another sign of her anger.

"Looks like the little brat has recovered from yesterday, wouldn't you say Sire?" Stoica quipped. Barodius's smirk transformed into a frown now, and his lip curled when Dan leaned back in his chair and glanced toward the camera hidden in the room. Dan's eyes narrowed at the small black device, and it was obvious that he suspected that his captors were spying on him. Barodius glared at the ignorant boy on the screen, then turned to the young Gundalian with spiky white hair.

"Anubias, you and Sellon have your orders," he said, ignoring Stoica's remark. "You might as well get a move on, otherwise that know-it-all Aquos brawler of the Battle Brawlers might notice something strange."

"Yes." Anubias turned away from the screen, facing the Gundalian emperor. He sank to one knee, as did Sellon beside him.

"We won't fail you, Master," she promised dramatically. Anubias's jaw clenched, but the shadows masked his vexation. Barodius nodded, and the two stood, turning to face the screen again. Their bodies glowed, and when the darkness took hold again, a human boy and girl stood in their places. Clasped in their hands were several Bakugan, and Sellon flipped her hair experimentally. They then turned toward each other, reaching out their hands. They grasped each others forearms firmly, and then, their forms vanished. The only trace of their previous existence was the trail of sparkles that soon died in the air.

Once they had departed, Kazarina turned toward the emperor.

"Sire, are you sure it is wise to send two of your servants straight into enemy territory?" she questioned, bowing her head respectfully. The emperor jumped on her instantly.

"Don't lower your eyes!" She started, but lifted her gaze. He was staring at her intensely, and she resisted the urge to stare at the Gundalian's feet. "I have no tolerance for weakness in my inner circle. I granted you all a second chance with _her_ powers for a reason. Don't disappoint me."

"Forgive me, Sire," Kazarina genuflected before him. Barodius sighed, and Gill found it difficult to suppress his vile satisfaction at the emperor's outburst.

"I am sure of my actions, Kazarina. It was none of your concern to begin with, so don't bother with it. Now, I wish to speak to your about _that_ matter..."

...

Dan glared at the black circle in the wall as the others got up to leave around him. He stood once the others had filed out of the room, and he then ducked around the chairs. He was sure to move carefully, trying to be cautious with his actions. The last thing he wanted was for one of the Vexos or Sid to walk in on him while he spoke to the camera. It wouldn't produce the effect he desired.

He stood straight in front of the camera, glaring at it seriously. His eyes glinted in the bright light of the room, but most of his face was shadowed. The lights were behind him.

"I know you're watching," he said quietly. He received no response, and he didn't expect to. After all, it was just a camera. "I don't care that you've taken me as leverage against Drago and my friends. He won't do as you ask, not even if you put my life on the line." Dan crossed his arms. "But I know that's not the real reason why you took me. If it was leverage you wanted from the beginning, you would have held a blade to my throat and gone to Drago right then."

Dan adjusted his position and lowered his arms again, feeling slightly restless. "Listen to me. If you think that you can get me to break and beg Drago to give you the powers he had, think again. It's not going to work, if that's your plan." Dan took a step back then, and started to turn, but stopped in mid step. "I know you won't tell me what you're planning, and I won't pretend to know what you are up to, but I can tell you this. If you think for even _one second_ that I'm going to just sit back and take what you throw at me, you're wrong. I'm going to fight you. There's no way in heaven or hell that I'll let you just kick me around." Dan smirked, turned and walked toward the door.

"Just a thought."

**Thanks to those of you that have reviewed, I really appreciate it. I hope that cleared a few things up... and left a few questions.**

**Review!**


	8. Expect the Unexpected

**"As long as you think you're going to be going somewhere, think big," - Donald Trump.**

"Alright, everyone's here, right?" Marucho asked, his serious but tired blue eyes darting from face to face. Twenty people filled the room, and thirty eight eyes were fixed on the boy with dark circles under his own standing on his chair. All of them were serious, and all of them looked like they wanted answers. None of them were as sleep deprived as Marucho, though.

The original Brawlers were standing and sitting behind Marucho. Well, most of them were standing. Julie was sitting because the rock sent by the attacker on Gundalia had hit and broken her ankle, forcing her to use crutches for the next six weeks. She had suffered a minor concussion, but she was fine otherwise, and the concussion was so mild that she hadn't even needed bed rest. She had woken up just as soon as the Gundalians and Marucho arrived back at the Capital on Gundalia.

"Everyone's here," Shun affirmed after glancing around the room. Marucho nodded at him in understanding, then he looked down at the glowing table beneath his fingers. His fingers lifted and lowered swiftly just then, and small mechanical beeps reached everyone's ears.

"Okay, so all of you know why you're gathered here, correct?" he asked, tapping the icons with practiced ease. A chorus of affirmative statements were mumbled then, and he lifted his gaze from the table.

"Good," he said. He stood straight up, grasping his hands behind him. Drago floated over his head, and he regarded the group with a grave face. "First of all, you all know that Dan vanished from his home yesterday morning, correct?" A sea of bobbing heads met his question, and Runo, who was standing with Julie, Alice, and Shun behind Marucho, was surprised she didn't get dizzy from watching it. "Okay then. Do any of you have anything you'd like to confirm about the disappearance?"

"Well, you said he just disappeared. It's kinda vague. What happened exactly? How much do we know?" Ace questioned, resting his elbow on the white rim of the table and pointing into the air. Gus nodded.

"I agree. Runo and Alice were a little short with us on what exactly happened-"

"Sorry, but we told you everything we knew," Runo sighed. She kept twiddling her thumbs and wringing her hands. Gus and Ace turned back to Marucho as he started talking again. She licked her lips for the sixteenth time that morning and wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist, then reached for her cell phone. Before her hand could work its way into her pocket, though, a hand closed around her wrist. Runo glanced at Julie, who was looking up at her with an intense gaze from her seat next to Runo. Her crutches were resting against the wall a few feet away, but she didn't reach for them.

"Runo, thats the fifth time you've tried to check for a text from Dan in the past ten minutes," she whispered. Alice, who was standing to Runo's left, nodded in agreement. Runo glanced at her movement, taking in the pitying glint in her eyes.

"Runo, if he was going to text you, he would have already. Besides, they found his phone in his desk at home," she reminded the Haos brawler. Runo sighed, and Julie let go of Runo's wrist.

"We're all worried about Dan, Runo," Julie said softly. "And I know you're wired tighter than all of us, even Marucho. But you need to stay focused on helping to _find_ him."

"Julie's right, Runo," Alice quietly agreed. "Checking your phone for a text from Dan every thirty seconds isn't going to help us. Besides, he lost your number, remember?" That was the code the three girls used for when they spoke about Dan's lack of communication with Runo. Runo's eyes dulled and she looked at her feet, and Alice realized she had said the wrong thing. "Oh Runo..." she murmured. Runo lifted her gaze, forcing a smile. Her eyes sparkled, though, and Alice felt terrible.

"It's fine, you're right. He probably just... lost my number." She grinned, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her eyes were frosty and hurt, but hidden deep within them was a faint spark of hope that Dan still cared for her. Alice knew that the chill and pain could, and would, quickly turn to heated anger at the sight of her boyfriend, and with a sigh, Alice turned back to Marucho. He was explaining everything the police had told the Brawlers to the Vestals, Nethians, and Gundalians.

"They found his pajamas in the hamper, still soaked in sweat," he was saying. "And the shower was wet. So was the towel in the room, and there was water on the floor. The police think he woke up and took a shower to get the sweat off him."

"Did they find out how he ended up so sweaty in the first place?" Lena asked, adjusting her glasses. Marucho nodded, tapping a square on the table. A picture was pulled up, one of Dan's bedroom. Runo's untroubled facade melted when she noticed the torn sheets on the bed, and the dark patches on the sheets. Mira's eyes were wide, but her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Ace sat next to her, and Baron on her other side. Both of them were gaping at the sheets, and Mira lifted her gaze to meet Marucho's.

"Is this his bed?" Marucho nodded, pointing at the sheets. A circle was drawn around the tears in them in lime green, pointing out the rips easily.

"This is where his feet would have been," he said, tapping one area, "and this is where his hands were. The fabric is torn, though, not cut, so the police think that he had a really bad nightmare, or someone came and tore them themselves."

"But someone coming in and tearing them to mislead us seems unlikely." Shun shut down that idea before any of them had the chance to consider it.

"And Drago, you didn't wake up?" Fabia asked the Pyrus Bakugan. Ren and Rafe threw glances at Drago first, and then everyone else followed suit. Rafe was standing behind Princess Fabia, Linus to his right, and Ren sat to the right of Fabia. Paige, who stood behind Ren's chair, looked like she was trying to solve a tricky puzzle as she rubbed the back of her pink hair, thinking. She was the only one still staring at the picture on the table.

"No, I didn't," Drago told them. His voice masked his taut nerves professionally. "It's weird. If Dan was having a nightmare, he would have shouted, and I would have woken up if he had."

"Does Dan have security cameras in his room?" Rafe asked Marucho. Marucho stared at him, as did Julie, Alice, Runo and Jake. Shun looked at him with an eyebrow raised, and Rafe glanced at the six of them uncomfortably.

"No, he doesn't," Runo finally answered. "None of us do, except Marucho."

"Oh." Rafe murmured, falling into silence again. Marucho looked at him, concerned.

"It was a good question to ask, Rafe," he told the young Castle Knight. Rafe nodded at him, not exactly accepting the praise but not denying it either. Marucho and Shun had been notified by Princess Fabia that they were to be Rafe and Paige's teachers, so Marucho was trying to take on that role, along with the stress of operating Bakugan Interspace, finding his best friend, and keeping up his rank of third best Bakugan battler.

"Hey, no one touched anything on Dan's bed since he disappeared, right?" Paige asked.

Marucho frowned at her. "No, it would be tampering with the evidence."

"Did anyone notice how Dan's pillow is shaped?" Paige asked after a moment of silence, during which everyone had gone back to staring at the picture. Now, their heads lifted to her face, and she stepped around Ren's chair. She pointed at Dan's pillow, and its odd shape. "Look. It's like it was stuck to his back when he sat up, and then let go suddenly. The other pillow is propped up against the headboard. This one is flat on the bed a few centimeters away from the first one."

"Wow, you're right," Jake exclaimed.

"That observation is most impressive," Jesse remarked. Spectra nodded, interested to know just how Paige had picked that up.

"How did you notice that?" Baron questioned, apparently wondering the same thing as Spectra. Paige smirked.

"I aced the criminal investigation class at the Academy soldiers have to go to on Gundalia," she boasted. Ren shook his head, grinning, and held up a hand. She slapped it happily, and Fabia flashed her a grin.

"But wait," Percival protested. "I don't understand how this helps us."

"Well, this proves that Dan had a nightmare of some sort," Hawktor told him.

"That, or," Shun said stiffly, and he trailed off. The eyes of the onlookers in the room flicked back to him. Shun was leaning against the wall behind Marucho, his head tilted downward and his eyes closed. Hawtor and Taylean both floated near him, as Fabia had allowed him to take Hawktor back to Earth with him for their current adventure. Now, as Shun's sensitive ninja-ears had detected the turning of heads, he lifted his eyes, meeting those of Ren's. "Or, he had another vision." Ren's eyes widened. "Just like the one that set me suspicious of your facade when we got involved in the war."

"Or just before I returned from being the Perfect Core," Drago pointed out. Ren bit his lip.

"You think he might have had a vision?"

"Yeah," Julie nodded. Runo nibbled on the inside of her cheek, thinking as she tugged on one pigtail.

"You know, I don't think it's that unlikely," Baron remarked, rubbing the back of his head. All eyes turned to him, and he lowered his hand. "When we were stranded on Earth after Master Runo got stuck in between dimensions, Dan lost a battle against Spectra." Spectra crossed his arms and looked over at Baron. "The difference in power was more than five hundred points, and Dan lost Drago. He kept trying to get stronger to get Drago back, but he passed out."

"Well that's dumb," Mason smirked. "Everyone knows that in order to win a Bakugan back in battle, you have to have a Bakugan in the first place."

"Exactly," Mira piped up. "He didn't have one. He kept trying to get physically stronger, thinking it would help. I think he was just depressed."

"I would be, too, if I lost Contestir," Zenet agreed.

"Thank you, Zenet." The smile could be heard in Contestir's voice. Zenet smiled.

"Partners till the end!" She gave a thumbs up, and Baron smiled.

"Anyway," Baron continued, "Master Dan passed out, and I carried him back to his house. He was unconscious for a while, with a fever, and then this huge orange light erupted in the room. The next thing we knew, Apollonir, the Pyrus Soldier of New Vestroia, was there, telling us that Dan needed a new battling partner. And then, the light vanished, and Dan woke up. After that, he battled Spectra and got Drago back, but he told us that he had been having nightmares where he heard Drago screaming out to him."

"He said that in his nightmares, he was running, and he saw a black Drago screaming. His eyes were tearing, and he was thrashing," Mira told everyone. "Dan would cry out to him, and he thought that Drago was screaming in anger that Dan had let Spectra win. But it couldn't be further from the truth."

"He was crying out because he was sad that he had let Dan down," Runo said softly from her place behind Marucho. "And Dan had recurring visions of this. And then, after that, he told us that he had had a vision of Apollonir coming to him and telling him he needed to bring Drago back to New Vestroia. Because Drago is the core of New Vestroia, he had to remain there in order to keep the land in balance. But now he can move freely throughout the worlds, as long as he keeps a spark of his link with him."

"Okay then, so in short, Dan sometimes has visions that aid him," Lena summarized.

"Maybe he has some Nethian lineage..." Fabia murmured softly.

"Huh? How do you figure that?" Jake asked, looking confused. Fabia sighed.

"Nethians are known both for their combat skills," Linehalt said for her, "and also for their powers of prophecy."

"Really?" Marucho exclaimed.

"Oh no way!" Julie goggled.

"That's interesting," Gus acknowledged. Mira's eyes were wider than normal, but she didn't seem very surprised, just impressed. Shun didn't even acknowledge the statement and Fabia shot him a curious look.

"You told me when I was hiding you at my dojo," he said, and Fabia nodded in understanding.

"Nethians can have visions of the future, share dreams, and even tell if someone's lying," Ace surprised everyone by knowing. Mira and Baron stared at him.

"How did you know that?" Baron questioned.

"We forgot to tell you," Spectra said. "We unlocked all of the Phantom Data two days ago. We traced it's origin to Nethia, and there it had a background of Nethians and of the war. From what you're telling us, you have won this war, so our aid is no longer required."

"That is correct," Linus nodded.

"The abilities you just named are... scattered," Fabia explained, looking uncomfortable. "Most male Nethians lack the ability to have visions of the future and share dreams, but they can tell if someone is lying. However, most females lack the ability to tell if someone is lying. Lots of them can share dreams, but having visions of the future is a rather uncommon gift."

"Vestals sometimes have visions of the future as well," Spectra told everyone. "But as Fabia said, it is a rather uncommon gift. None of us have it, but Baron's little sister does. So does Princess Cassie, but both of their abilities are spontaneous. They get visions of different things at random times, and usually, they can't do anything to stop what is about to happen."

"I think that Hydron had the ability to communicate with the dead, since he was talking nonsense when he was in his cell just before we battled the Alternative," Gus announced.

"It is very rare to see a human with the ability to see the future," Marucho said. "But Mediums aren't as uncommon."

"What's a Medium?" Zenet asked curiously.

"A person that can communicate with the dead," Lena explained. "And Gundalians have the ability to hypnotize, if you develop it enough. We can shoot lightning, and communicate with each other organically. But Kazarina's effortless ability to hypnotize is strangely strong. That's the power of a Hypnosis Master. The cool thing about her powers is that she had no formal training. She just figured it out on her own."

Fabia and Ren both bit their lips at the same time, appearing troubled, but the movement was so indistinct that almost no one noticed. Besides, given the situation, it was natural for them to be tense. Julie, however, seemed to find it slightly amusing that the two who sat next to each other would do the same thing at the same time.

"But the visions that Dan has received... I don't know of anything like them," Marucho yawned, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his sleeved wrist. "Tristar, Akwimos, Elfin, do you think you can get me another cup of coffee?"

"On it Marucho!" Akwimos cried.

"Alrighty," Elfin said happily. The two Aquos Bakugan flew out of the room, while Tristar hesitated beside Marucho.

"Marucho, you can't push yourself like this," he warned. "If you keep doing this-" Marucho waved him off.

"Don't worry Tristar, I'll be fine," he insisted. "Can you just, please, get me that cup of coffee?"

"You'd better go to bed early tonight," Tristar threatened, but flitted out of the room with Elfin and Akwimos anyway. Marucho sighed, and Runo felt bad for the poor boy.

"Marucho, are you sure you don't want to take a break?" Ren asked, but Marucho shook his head.

"No, don't worry, I'm fine," he insisted. "Anyway, I think that Dan might have had one of his nightmare-vision things, and since his shirt and pants were covered in sweat..." He tapped a key on the table, and a picture of Dan's shirt and pants, still damp, appeared on the table, "he might have taken a shower to get rid of the sweat." He tapped another key, and another picture grew from under his fingertips. The picture was of Dan, dressed in his Pyrus Castle Knight uniform. He was smiling, and Runo brought a hand up to her chest. Her fingers clenched, her knuckles white. But no one noticed.

"I think that he might have grabbed his Castle Knight uniform out of habit when he went to take a shower," he concluded next. "After all, he's been wearing it since we left for Nethia, and it must have become routine for him." He yawned again.

"He used to take the dawn patrol with me," Shun said. "We'd wake up early, shower, get dressed, and then go outside to check the perimeter of the Castle first. We would run around the Castle twice for morning exercise, and usually he would beat me at races of stamina, when he tricked me into not using my ninja skills. Then we'd go and walk around one fourth of the third shield, then come back for breakfast after showering again."

"I guess that would explain why he grabbed the uniform," Ace said, ruffling the hair on the back of his head.

"Yeah, that part was explained," Jake restated. "But what happened after that? Where did he go?"

"That's just it. I can't figure anything after that," Marucho sighed, locking his fingers together and banging the sides of hands lightly against the table. "He just seemed to vanish after that. None of us can figure out what time he disappeared, but since it rained this morning, the scent trail was washed away too much. The dogs that the police brought in lost the scent trail as soon as Dan stepped outside."

"So he did go outside?" Taylean asked from Shun's shoulder. Both Taylean and Tristar had appeared in Bakugan Interspace just after they returned, and since Hawktor and Akwimos were both on Nethia, the two boys had needed new Bakugan. Both boys knew they needed stronger Bakugan, and even their previous Bakugan, Elfin and Ingram, had insisted that they select new, stronger partners. Elfin had chosen to remain with Marucho while Preyas returned to New Vestroia for a while, while Ingram and Shun departed ways. Shun and Marucho accepted the offer of partnership with Taylean and Tristar quickly, the combination feeling right. Now, though, Akwimos and Hawktor both remained nearby their former partners, willing to offer their services again if need be.

"Yes, he did," Marucho confirmed. He looked, confused, at the small Ventus Bakugan. "I thought I told everyone that...?"

"Nope," Tristar called from the door as it opened. Forty pairs of eyes flicked toward the three Aquos Bakugan that were struggling to support a travel coffee mug between them. Akwimos was stuck on the bottom while Tristar was struggling to grasp the handle in between his two metallic feet. Elfin was flitting around the mug, trying to keep it from tipping over between the three of them. After a few seconds, they had managed to bring it over to Marucho, and Elfin accidentally whacked against the mug. It tipped forward while she fell over backwards with a yelp.

Runo dove forward, landing on her stomach with a grunt, with her arms outstretched. Elfin dropped gently into her cupped and waiting hands, and Runo lifted her head. Elfin bounced in her hands, looking up at Runo in surprise as she sat up. Runo looked at Elfin, her face impassive, as she got to her feet. She held her hand out to the white strip of metal that lined the computer-table. Elfin hopped off, landing with a few clicks on the metal surface, and Marucho adjusted his glasses after setting the mug he had just barely caught on the white surface. Akwimos and Tristar were both lying on the table, exhausted from there efforts.

"Nice save, Runo," Jake praised her.

"That was indeed impressive," Jesse agreed.

"Thanks a lot, Runo!" Elfin bowed. Runo shrugged, forcing a grin.

"...It was nothing!" she said, returning to Julie and Alice. Marucho yawned again, blinked, and then continued speaking.

"Anyway, the police can guess from the dampness of the towel and shirt that he might have gone a few hours before Mrs. Kuso woke up. But that information won't prove as valuable as, say, a dimensional transport trail."

"A what?" Mason asked. Alice stepped forward this time.

"It's basically a bread crumb trail left by a Dimensional Gate," she explained. "Only it can't be seen with the naked eye."

"You have to use a special device that Dr. Micheal created with the help of Transporter Technology," Julie added. "It's hard to explain, though, so Marucho...?"

"Right," he nodded. He leaned forward and adjusted his glasses again, and then he reached far in front of him. He braced one arm on the edge of the table to keep from falling, and his index finger tapped a single, invisible square in the center of the table. A few large pictures appeared on the table, a few moving. The brawlers leaned forward in their chairs to get a better look at the pictures, and Gus glanced back at Marucho.

"What are you showing us, Marucho?" he asked. Marucho glanced at him, then over his shoulder at Alice. He nodded, and she stepped forward. She took her place at his side and tapped the table three times. Three more pictures appeared, and she used her fingers to push a few of the others away from the three she just drew up. One new picture looked like it had been taken with the negative setting on a camera. In the center of the frame of another was Alice's grandfather Micheal, wearing a strange set of green goggles and holding a white tablet. The third featured a diagram of the universe that contained Earth, Vestal, Nethia and Gundalia, and the galaxy that had hidden the Alternative and Zenoheld back when the Vexos were a threat.

"My grandfather has the technology to track Dimensional Gates," she explained. "He's really optimized it, so it's possible to view older trails, and track them more quickly. It still takes a while, but if Dan really has been transported to another planet or even universe, it would be worth it to take a look and see if there are any traces of a transport signal in the area." Alice looked around at everyone, then pointed at the picture of her grandfather.

"This is the device. There is only one so far, since he keeps trying to make adjustments to it. He's the only one who knows how to use it, too, so he will have to come here in order to use it," she said.

"Is this the same thing he used when we went to battle the Alternative when Keith ran off without us?" Baron asked. Alice nodded.

"Yes, exactly," she confirmed. "Now, if you'll have a look here..." She pointed at the negative photo. "This is the trail that can be seen by the goggles-"

"We don't care about what it looks like or how it works," Avior said rudely. Alice looked up, her finger poised above the picture. Mason glared at the small Bakugan on his shoulder.

"Hey, that was rude," he told him off.

"So? I thought the point of this was to find Dan," Avior growled. Mason frowned at the Bakugan, but crossed his arms and looked at Alice. She sighed, then glanced at Marucho.

"Should I go get my grandfather?" she asked softly.

"Yes, that would be a big help," Marucho nodded. Alice nodded to him. She turned, returning to Runo's side, and pulled out her DT card. Julie held up a hand before she could activate it, though, and Alice blinked at her.

"Uh, do you think you can hand me my crutches?" she asked. "You just happen to be there... and I'm in the mood for a coffee!"

"Oh, no worries, Julie," Alice smiled, reaching for the two metallic supports. She grabbed the two of them easily and pulled them over to Julie, who grabbed them gratefully.

"Thanks!" she grinned, and stood up, pulling them apart and tucking them under her arms. Alice nodded, and then the card glowed. Runo waved goodbye halfheartedly, and Alice's form was bathed in light. And then, she was gone, leaving behind a trail of sparkles.

Runo sighed, and Julie looked at her. "Come on, girl, smile, will you?" she grinned. "We've got a lead! We'll have your boyfriend back in no time, don't worry!"

"Julie!" Runo blushed.

"Boyfriend, eh?" a cocky voice questioned. Runo jumped, and gasps were heard. Runo glanced around, stiffening, and a hand came down on her shoulder. She gasped, whirling around, and the hand flew off her. Accidentally, Runo's arm slammed into Julie's front, unbalancing her. Julie fell down backward with a yelp. The crutches clattered to the ground loudly, and Runo's eyes widened as they fixed on her assailant.

The man was wearing a black tank top with brown suspenders crossing over his chest. They hooked onto his jeans, which were pulled up to his stomach. Straps were wrapped around his upper arms, buckled tightly. His jeans were blue and boots made their way to just beneath his knees. His orange hair was tied loosely behind his head, and even though Runo didn't recognize this new addition to the room's occupancy, the reptilian eyes were unmistakable.

"What do you want?" Runo demanded, taking a step back from the Gundalian. He smirked, and Ren shot to his feet.

"There is no way-" he gasped, his eyes wide in horror. The Gundalian in human guise smirked, his eyes flicking to meet Ren's. Ren's eyes widened even more, if that were even possible, and a positively evil smile made its way onto the Gundalian's face.

"Get back! Everyone, get away from him!" Ren ordered, ducking around his chair. "Rafe, Linus, Paige, keep Fabia safe."

"Right!" the three of them responded, Linus and Rafe moving to stand in front of Fabia. Ren, on the other hand, dashed forward as Julie pushed herself away on the ground. He snatched up a crutch and swung it at the Gundalian, who ducked easily. Runo took several steps back, staring at the alien in shock. Shun moved quickly to stand in front of her while Jake rushed to Julie's side. Ace and Spectra both stood up, protective of Mira, who had also risen to her feet.

"Geez Ren, so much for the warm... welcome!" he grabbed the crutch from the dark-skinned Gundalian teen, who stumbled forward from the force of Stoica's action. He caught himself, though, and staggered backward with his mouth open.

"How are you still alive?" he demanded. The Gundalian glared at Ren, and then his gaze fell on Julie and Runo. Runo was watching him nervously, but she was clearly confused. Julie looked like she was straining her memory as she propped herself up on the other crutch, studying the Gundalian seriously. The Gundalian smirked, and then turned back to Ren.

"Well, if you must know, we never died! It was all tricks! Every time one of us died, the Sacred Orb acted up, and we were transported away!" he cackled. Ren hissed, spreading his arms out to the sides.

"Why are you here?" he growled.

"Ren, who is he?" Rafe demanded. The Gundalian sneered at Rafe.

"Oh, I suppose you weren't on the front lines, were you, little boy?" he taunted.

"I am a Castle Knight!" Rafe shouted. The Gundalian rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, who cares?" he spat. Then, he turned to Ren, sneering. "Well? Aren't you going to let slip who I am, Ren?"

"Stoica," Ren snarled.

**And thus ends chapter 8. I hope you liked it! Bet you weren't expecting that, after all that dialogue. Anyway, now the true story can begin! FINALLY! I HATED all that dialogue... but it was necessary. Ugh... I am SO glad that's over and done with.**

**That aside, review!**


	9. Confrontation

**"The general that wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who looses makes but few calculations beforehand," - Sun Tzu.**

"Stoica!"

Ren stood protectively in front of Runo and Julie, his arms spread out to the sides. Shun had taken a battle stance beside Runo, and Jake looked nervous but held up his fists, Coredom locked in the center of one. Fabia was looking over Linus' shoulder, her eyes wide as she realized that one of the Gundalian invaders that was bad to the bone still lived. All of the Gundalians were shocked, their eyes wide. Zenet was glaring at Stoica, whose eyes met hers, and she narrowed them back at him. Mira and the others understood that this guy was bad news, and Ace forced himself protectively in front of Mira. She didn't make a sound, despite her irritation at this action.

Runo clenched her fists, regarding the intruder nervously. He was smirking at Ren, or appeared to be to everyone else in the room, but Runo noticed when his eyes flicked back to her. His reptilian eyes... They were little more than think yellow ovals in the opaque pools of white that surrounded them. Runo couldn't tell very much from them, but they had an eerie reminiscence to Shadow Prove's eyes. There was a spark of insanity in Shadow's eyes the last time she had seen him, and she could detect that spark here with Stoica as well. These eyes were also devious and cruel, qualities that Shadow's eyes seemed to lack.

As if on command, and as soon as Ren's voice faded, a bright white glow grew from Stoica's body. Runo and Julie both shielded their eyes while Shun and Jake squinted and Marucho closed his eyes. Ren hissed, and when the glow died down, it revealed none other than Stoica's recognizable Gundalian body. His smirk had vanished, his cold eyes fixed on Ren now.

"You're a filthy little traitor, Ren," he growled. Ren's glare deepened. "I'm sure that Kazarina is just _itching_ to get her claws on _you_."

"Huh? Kazarina's alive too?" Zenet blurted. Stoica glanced at her, looking quite annoyed.

"Frankly, I'm amazed that she didn't just dispose of you three. Especially you, Jesse. You're quite annoying," Stoica grumbled. Jesse didn't seem fazed by this comment, and instead of retaliating instantly, he flipped through his book.

"A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult," Jesse fired back, his face straight for once. Plytheon bounced up and down in front of him, but Jesse ignored him.

"Seriously, Jesse, is now really the time to be quoting the bible?" he complained. Jesse didn't reply, and Stoica rolled his eyes, tossing the crutch he had stole from Julie on the ground beside him.

"Didn't you hear me, Zenet? We're all alive," he muttered. "Code Eve seems to think that we could use punishment for our actions. But she doesn't know what became of Emperor Barodius, or the rest of us!" Shun's eyes widened then, and narrowed once more a second later. Ren hissed, his fists clenching and Fabia pushed past Rafe and Linus. Paige stepped forward next to her, glaring at Stoica.

"Why should we care about Barodius?" Fabia challenged. Runo glared at Stoica, daring him to answer that question. Stoica blinked at Fabia.

"Huh? There are two Fabia's?" he questioned, glancing between Runo and Fabia. Both girls glanced at each other, noticed their similar appearances, then glared back at Stoica.

"I think you could use an eye exam," Drago growled. "This girl is a human. She has nothing to do with this." Runo's sharp intake of breath caught Shun's attention, and he quickly whipped his head around to face her. She looked quite confused at this statement and opened her mouth to protest. She was as part of this team as much as the rest of them, maybe even more so than the others due to her status as Dan's girlfriend. But Shun anticipated this reaction, and quickly raised a finger to his lips. Runo's eyes flicked to his face, anger and confusion obvious in her gaze. He shook his head slightly to the side, and her glare softened, a perplexed expression coming over her features.

"We don't need him to know more than he already does about you, and that's that you're Dan's teammate," Shun hissed. "We can't even give him your name, because he'll use you against Dan. Drago and I suspect that the Gundalians snatched him, so we have to be careful." Runo looked watched him silently, then gave the slightest of nods to clarify her understanding. Stoica had been watching the exchange with interest, but obviously hadn't heard the words Shun had said to Runo. However, he had heard what Julie said to her before, and the worried look on Julie's face was all he needed to affirm his next speculation.

"Ah, ah, ah! Drago, I believe that she has something more to do with this than you're letting on, doesn't she?" he quipped, waving a finger as he smirked at the small Pyrus Bakugan. At this next ploy, everyone visibly stiffened. Marucho bit his lip, his bloodshot eyes flicking from Drago to Runo nervously. Spectra studied the Gundalian seriously, but the mechanical eyes within his mask gave nothing away. Gus looked rather irritated, and Mira nervous and angry as her teeth glinted in the bright light of the LCD monitors in the room.

Stoica's eyes darted around as he smirked, once again reminding Runo of Shadow Prove, but with the blue-clad witch absent. His eyes found Julie's, and she shot him a glare like none other. He blinked at the intensity of it, and smirked. "Something tells me you know something worth spilling," he smirked. Runo glanced at her friend worriedly, wondering if she would take the bait. Julie crossed her arms and stuck out one lip as she glared at him.

"Riiight, because if I did know something, you probably would have heard it by now," she snapped in her usual sarcastic voice. "Stop snooping around my friend! If you want a brawl then just announce it already!" Stoica's smirk grew, and Fabia stepped forward threateningly.

"You've overstayed your welcome, which I don't remember giving you in the first place," she growled professionally. Stoica turned his attention toward the feisty Nethian girl once more, his smirk transforming into a menacing glare. "Either state your purpose, or leave, before we make you. We're busy here."

"Now now now, where's the fun in that?" he smirked, waggling a finger again. "I don't seem to recall you being in charge here, in Bakugan Interspace, Princess Fabia!"

"Stop avoiding the question," Ace ordered. "What do you want, a fight? 'Cause Percival and I'll give you one thrashing you won't forget!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Ace," Percival bounced on Ace's shoulder.

"Oh please," Stoica smirked. "If I wanted a fight, I'd challenge King Kuso. I hear that's his nickname these days. Speaking of the big-shot, where is he?" Marucho's eyes widened, and Ren gasped. Jake glanced from side to side worriedly, and Julie stared at Stoica in shock. Runo was the first to come out of her stupor, and she jumped forward in front of Shun. She pushed Ren's arm forward, her eyes alight with her anger. Stoica's eyes grew wider, as did his insane grin at her outburst.

"What did you do with him? Tell me!" she screamed.

"Ha! I knew you had something to do with him!" he cried triumphantly, pointing at her.

"Hey!" Shun cried, grabbing her arm as she raised it to strike the smirking Gundalian. She tried to pull her arm out of his grip, but he grabbed her other one easily, pulling them both behind her. Easily, he shifted his hands to her upper arms, and she turned to him, her eyes blazing with an anger that was so similar to Dan's when he found that kids were being taken from Bakugan Interspace that Shun almost froze and let her go. He recovered, though, and whispered in her ear, "Runo, let's go, otherwise you'll blow your cover."

"What did you do to him? You better not have hurt him, you creep!" she threatened, ignoring Dan's best friend. Stoica cackled loudly, and Shun shot him an enraged glare. Baron and Jake looked shocked at Runo's outburst, and both Ace and Ren looked quite angered. Mira and Rafe were both glaring at Stoica, and Paige was holding Fabia's wrist tightly to keep her from attacking the Gundalian. She kept yanking hard every few seconds, clearly wanting to kick Stoica's butt.

"We haven't done anything to your boyfriend," Stoica smirked, finding pleasure in watching her squirm in the agony of ignorance. His irises, however alien, had shrank to an even smaller size than Runo had first seen them in his cruel mirth, and they faded behind his gray eyelids as he chortled sadistically. "What's the matter, girl, you look like you're going to cry!" Runo's eyes were shining with tears, and with that, she found the strength to rip her wrists from Shun's grasp. Shun gasped, taking a surprised step backward at her strength.

"What are you doing?" he cried. Stoica's smirk grew ever wider, and his body began to glow.

"Fabia, I think you and Kazarina discussed our terms!" he smirked around his chuckles. Fabia froze and gasped. Runo's pupils shrank in anger, and she launched herself at him just as the golden rings began to appear around his body. His eyes widened as she latched onto his arm with an iron grip, and Shun shouted out her name again just as Fabia ripped her wrist from Paige.

"RUNO!" he yelled, starting to run forward. However, at that very same moment, Fabia's hand closed around Aranaut, and her body glowed gold. Her fingertips just barely grazed the vanishing fabric on Runo's back, and then Runo had disappeared. Fabia stumbled, but she and Aranaut had gotten what they needed to keep Stoica in their sights. The golden rings appeared around her feet, rising up her body quickly, and her form dissolved.

"Princess Fabia!" Linus cried, reaching out a hand in vain. Rafe's eyes were wide, and he kept trying to search the faces of those around him for a clue on what to do. Paige's face fell, but her eyes remained as large as dinner plates. Everyone's eyes were glued to the spot where the trio had disappeared, and for a moment no one moved. Shock had paralyzed all of them.

After a moment, Marucho spun his chair around and started tapping keys like mad. "Hurry! Ren, Mira, Spectra, I need you guys to help me track their coordinates!" he ordered desperately. "We only have a minute before the signal dissolves, that's how Fabia was able to follow Dan here when she bumped into him! Come on, hurry!" The individuals he signaled out hurried over to their spots at the table and rapidly punched codes into the table. "I'm starting up the cameras we installed before," Marucho announced to the group around the table, "and I'm inputting facial recognition. If the camera detects them, an alarm will sound."

"Good thinking Marucho!" Jake cried.

/V\\\\\

Runo gasped, stumbling backward as Stoica lashed out with his arm. She managed to catch herself with little problem, but the damage had already been done. He had transported her with him, and he wouldn't be able to get away quickly enough to ensure that she didn't grab on again. But it didn't really matter, as they had been transported to the middle of an empty battle arena inside Bakugan Interspace.

"Why you little-" Stoica growled at the sight of her before him. She stood her ground, baring her teeth as her pupils shrank still to compensate for her anger. "You annoying little girl!"

"You think so?" she snarled. "Why don't you brawl me and find out just how little I am?" She whipped out a card, and her new Guardian Bakugan was suddenly clasped between the middle finger of her right hand and her index finger. Their eyes locked, his wide with anger at her quick thinking to follow him, and hers narrowed with vexation. After a moment of staring each other down, Stoica's irritated expression twisted its way into a smirk.

"Fine then." His insane grin was back, and his lip curled to show one of his fangs. Runo wasn't deterred by this sight, however, and she nodded, turning to walk toward her end of the battle arena. She ended up running, bloodlust clouding her senses. She yearned for the chaos of battle, for the euphoria of the fight. She was seeing red before she realized what was happening, and then, she found herself standing in her respective circle.

She turned, her fists clenched, and her eyes found Stoica. He was standing in his circle, a hand on his hip in a strangely feminine pose. The smirk hadn't left his face, Runo soon discovered, when the large screen appeared above his head. When he spoke, however, he wasn't addressing Runo.

"Well then, ladies, are you going to come out of your hiding places? Princess Fabia, I know you're here. And Kazarina, I imagine that you want a piece of the battling action, too!" Runo blinked in surprise, turning when she heard a grunt and the sound of shoes hitting the ground. Standing behind her was none other than Princess Fabia, looking rather intent on the prospect of taking on the invaders that had nearly destroyed everything she held dear.

"What are you doing, Stoica?" Kazarina sounded rather irritated with the Aquos battler as she walked up behind him. "You were supposed to transport here alone."

"Yeah well, it's not my fault that the girlfriend of the big-shot himself just happened to grab me, and then the Nethian princess followed as well," Stoica smirked. He seemed quite pleased with himself, and Runo felt her anger boil inside her again. Her cheeks flushed, and Kazarina, who had been glaring at Stoica, turned her attention to Runo. She was suddenly all too interested in the girl, a sadistic smirk playing its way across her features.

"Is that so?" she drawled. Runo felt the tiniest bit of fear work its way into her stomach, forcing some of her anger to take a back seat. The claws on this woman's hands were enough to make Runo shiver, and the sadistic look that seemed permanently etched into the skin of her face did nothing to help matters. "Might I ask her name?" Stoica's eyebrows furrowed, and Runo realized that even though the Gundalians knew her face, if they didn't know her name, they wouldn't be able to find her as easily again. Her anger melted slightly once more, and she flashed a look at Fabia that said all that she hoped it would. Fabia nodded quickly, tapping a few keys on her jewel of a Baku-Meter.

"Fabia!" Marucho's voice blared out of the yellow jewel of the Castle Knight uniform just as soon as it connected, making Runo turn to face the girl who looked so much like herself.

"Marucho, I need you to disable the system that tells your name before you battle! Hurry," Fabia urged. "They can't know her name!"

"Who, R-"

"Shush!" Fabia hissed, glaring into the Baku-Meter. Runo could feel her heart thumping in her chest and her stomach clenched. Her fingernails dug into the skin of her palms as her fists tightened, but she didn't notice. She turned to face Kazarina and Stoica, both of which looked like they were waiting for her answer.

"My name is none of your business," Runo snarled, her anger coming out in full force. Kazarina smirked, and Stoica crossed his arms.

"Fine then. I'm sure that when the battle is over, we'll know it anyway," Kazarina said smuggly.

"Alright, action disabled!" Marucho cried. "Should I start the battle?"

"Please do, and then feel free to join us!" Fabia told him. The connection closed, and then, the announcer's recorded voice blared through the speakers.

"Let the battle, begin! Bakugan Field open!" Runo quickly selected a Gate Card, and jumped up, spinning before tossing it down.

"Ladies first!" she grunted. "Gate card, set!" She then opened her fist, revealing a Haos Splight. "Let's do this, Splight!" she whispered.

"Alright milady," a masculine voice answered her.

"And Tigrerra, you'll be ready to jump in if you need to?"

"If that is what you wish, milady," Tigrerra agreed from her spot on Runo's shoulder. Runo nodded, and then lifted her hand.

"Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan stand! Rise, Haos Splight!" A large white Bakugan rose up from the center of the arena, letting out a screech.

"I will not fail you!" Splight vowed, raising a blunt arm up to his chest, holding just over where his heart would be. Kazarina observed this with a bored look on her face, and then her eyes lifted. Her smirk returned, and she let out a small chuckle.

"Looks like the gang's all here," she said, pointing up into the stands with her thumb. Runo and Fabia turned as Stoica followed her gaze, and all of them took in the group of brawlers emerging from a golden doorway at the top of the stands. Ren, Rafe, Paige, and Linus looked around, caught sight of Fabia, and then dashed down the stairs. Shun and Ren followed, and Jake and Baron came next. Ace, Mira, Spectra and Gus made their way down after them, taking their seats near the bottom of the arena. The Gundalians looked like they were on edge with this new development and hung back, unsure if their presence would be welcomed or not. Marucho was absent, and Runo assumed that he was working behind the scenes to trace Stoica and Kazarina's income point.

"Looks like it's my turn!" Stoica cried with an evil grin. His words snapped the three female Haos brawlers back into reality, and they watched as Stoica geared up for the fight. "Bakugan brawl! Aquos Lythirius, stand!" The large, lobster-like Bakugan rose up out of the card with a flash of blue light, snapped his large claws.

"I will crush you!" he chortled. Runo made a face at the many eyes that were grouped together on his face, able to see the likeness of both herself and Splight in the many hexagonal reflective surfaces. There had to be at least twenty different little hexagons, Runo assumed, and shivered.

"What's wrong, don't think you can take the heat?" Stoica jibed. Runo flashed him a glare and watched silently as the two Bakugan sized each other up. On the floating screen of her BakuColar, and on a large screen above the arena, the Bakugan and power levels appeared. Splight was at 1000 and Lythirius sat at 900. Fabia opened her hand after looking at the stats, revealing Aranaut.

"Are you ready Princess?" he asked.

"You bet! Bakugan-" she started, raising an arm.

"I've got this one, Fabia," Runo found herself saying softly, and Fabia froze. She lowered her hand, blinking at Runo.

"But, he's a strong battler-" Fabia protested, knowing the dangers of facing the stoic brawler, but he cut in.

"Let her do what she wants, Fabia!" He flashed her a toothy sneer, and Fabia made a face at him, disgusted. "It's her funeral! Will you be the one to write the speech?"

"Bring it!" Runo snarled, and Fabia's green orbs grew in size again that day.

"Is she crazy?" Jake asked no one in particular. "Stoica has even taken down Nurzak and Fabia, both at once!"

"He cheated that time," Fabia called, turning to face him. "I think she can handle him!" Jake stared at her, open mouthed.

"Runo is a very strong battler," Shun reminded the others in a lowered voice. "She managed to take out Lync when he and Mylene went after her and Mira. Not only that, she only lost four brawls when we had to face Naga. Two of those times were against Masquerade, one was me, and one was Dan."

"Whoa! Really?" Baron gasped. "That's unbelievable! That has to be one of the best records I've heard of!"

"You kept track this whole time?" Mira asked, her awe evident in her voice. Shun nodded, crossing his legs and his arms as he stared down at the arena with narrowed eyes. He, like the others of the Castle Knights, had opted to gear up in his Castle Knight uniform. It seemed to be the best choice, considering the situation. None of them had known what they would be facing when they entered the meeting room that morning, and certainly nothing had prepared them for this. Shun suspected now, just like Drago, that the Gundalians they thought they had taken down were responsible for Dan's disappearance. Shun only knew Drago suspected this because of Drago's reaction when Stoica appeared and questioned Runo's status as Dan's girlfriend, and thanks to his heightened ability to see through others. Others might call that paranoia, but paranoia never did harm a ninja, now did it?

"You can do it girl!" Julie called now, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify the sound.

"We're with you one hundred percent!" Ace added.

"Give them a good thrashing!" Coredom shouted.

"Don't let your anger get the batter of you," Tigrerra warned. Runo nodded, but she wasn't really listening. Her anger had already taken over her senses, clouding her thoughts and judgement. This fight was about revenge. Runo knew that the Gundalians had taken Dan. Something in her head kept whispering this truth, repeating it over and over until it had overpowered any other suggestion that might have risen to challenge this one. From the moment Stoica revealed his identity, the pieces had started to fall into place. This was one of the people that had ripped the one she loved most from her. This was one of the people that was responsible for whatever fate might befall Dan; terrible or wonderful Runo didn't know, but she suspected and feared the very worst. And she intended to make him pay for his crime before he could cause any permanent damage, and regain the one close to her heart. He was guilty by association, and that made him worth destroying in her reddened, pain seeking eyes.

"You don't stand a chance," Stoica smirked, pulling her back into reality. He whipped out a card, and Runo contemplated fighting a defensive battle. No, that wasn't an option. She had to be the one attacking. "Ability, activate! Merfolk!" Lythirius cackled as a bright beam of light zig-zagged out of his mouth, shooting straight toward Splight. Splight took a step backward, bracing his leg against the ground, and then let out a grunt as the attack collided with his chest. He was sent flying backward, colliding with the edge of the arena.

"Splight!" Runo cried, turning her head to keep him in her sight. Her eyes darted to the BakuColar on her wrist. Splight's power level had gone down by four hundred, landing him at a lower power level of 600.

"I'm fine, don't worry!" Splight assured her as he sat up. Several bangs accompanied that statement, signifying his efforts to lift himself from the hole he left in the arena. Runo sighed in relief, but her comfort quickly transformed back into anger, and she whipped out a card of her own. "Ability card, activate! Volting Mirage!"

Splight got to his feet again, the blue diamond on his forehead glowing. He lifted the large, blunt, handless arms up in front of his face and crossed them there, the blue gems in the center of the shields on the sides of his arms glowing white. Within seconds, a purple cloud had appeared around the arena. Faces melted into shadows, and to those in the stands, it was nearly impossible to discern even the one sitting next to them from the slithering shadows.

Splight had vanished, and Runo smirked. Even though she couldn't see through the dancing shadows, Splight could. But Fabia and Kazarina, as well as Julie and the rest of those spectators, were rendered blind. Nothing penetrated this darkness, and Splight seemed to have melted right into the battle environment.

Lythirius turned from side to side, scanning the battlefield for the now invisible Haos Bakugan. His numerous, insect-like eyes caught several images, but all of them were of the smoky shadow cover that surrounded him. What images he could discern were scattered and misleading. Nothing stood out that was worthy of his attention, and Lythirius realized that the ability had rendered him sightless.

"What's this?" Stoica demanded, straining his own eyes to make out shapes. "What happened?"

"Huh," Kazarina smirked. "The ability card Volting Mirage allows Splight to move freely through the battle field, and allows him to avoid detection from all those within the battle area," she explained, her cold yet amused voice coming from somewhere to Stoica's left. "It blocks communication between Bakugan and battler, so you can't activate abilities, and it also adds two hundred to their own power level. So, Splight us up to eight hundred."

"The only disadvantage is that Splight has to keep his concentration with this ability," Runo was explaining to Fabia under her breath. "If he's hit, then the ability's effect is lost." Stoica hissed, clenching his fists, and quickly searched for an ability card to counter this new development, despite Kazarina's warning.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" Lythirius was saying, turning from side to side and trying to peer through the endless, impenetrable shadows. The misty purple swirls just kicked up and twisted, forming false figures and misleading illusions. The silence was deafening, and everyone held their breath, waiting for Splight to make his presence known.

"Peekaboo," Splight whispered from behind Lythirius, raising his arm to slash the folded bat-like wings on the Aquos Bakugan's back.

"Ability, activate!" Runo cried. "Doom slash!" The claws that had been retracted into Splight's blunt arms suddenly shot out of their sheathes, and glowed with a bright white light. Splight's power level rocketed to one thousand two hundred.

"I see you!" Lythirius cried triumphantly, whirling around and knocking Splight to the side with his head. Splight stumbled, and the purple cloud around everyone dissolved.

"What? How did he see him?" Runo cried. Shun and the others gasped with the drastic change in lighting, as the cloud had been there long enough for everyone to become accustomed to the darkness. The only ones that seemed to be exempt from this effect were Ren, Splight and Runo, who used Stoica and Lythirius's momentary disorientation to her advantage. Splight quickly jumped away from Lythirius, landing just out of reach of his large claws. His power level had dropped back down to eight hundred.

"Ability activate!" Runo cried, holding up a card. "Daybreak!" Splight's large claws lifted, and he held them out far in front of his chest. White energy gathered there, in the center of the three hooked appendages, and Stoica blinked his eyes open. Splight's power level jumped up by three hundred, landing him at one thousand one hundred.

"Argh! Ability, activate!" he shouted. Lythirius opened his own claws, and what looked like small droplets of water began to gather in their center. "Megalo Theria!"

"Milady, you are letting your anger rule your decisions," Tigrerra warned from her place on Runo's shoulder.

"I'm fine! I know what I'm doing!" Runo growled, staring intently at the two charging blasters.

"Funny, I seem to remember you saying the same thing before a certain important battle in the Doom Dimension." Runo froze.

The two beams in their claws shot toward each other at the same time, colliding in the center of the arena. The resulting explosion caused a large shockwave to blow toward everyone. It was so powerful that both Bakugan were forced to take a few steps back, while Runo and Fabia were sent flying backward with yells of surprise. Stoica and Kazarina were both forced back as well, but not as far as Runo and Fabia. The four of them bounced off the ground harmlessly, however, and skidded to a halt several meters away from where they had been perviously standing.

"Fabia!" Rafe cried, standing and leaning over the edge of the stands. Linus and Paige grabbed his arms to keep him from jumping down to check on the princess, but he made no effort to make it any farther.

"Ru-" Julie started, but Shun quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Julie glanced at him in surprise.

"Shh, they can't know her name!" he urged. She nodded, and he removed his hand, his eyes finding Runo as she adjusted her position. She was now on her hands and knees, blinking rapidly at the arena before her.

"Ability card, activate!" Stoica shouted, and Runo gasped. He had recovered faster than she had! "Eel Weakness!" Runo narrowed her eyes at him, taking in how Lythirius' eyes glowed blue, and Runo glanced at her BakuColar's screen. Splight's power level once again dropped, returning to eight hundred. She bit her lip, and held up a card as she rose to her feet.

"Ability, activate! Daybreak!" she tried again, and the card glowed... but so did Lythirius' eyes. Runo didn't care though, nor did she take into account the highly amused look on Stoica's face. It wasn't until the sparkles that were drawing close to Splight's claws vanished that Runo was confused, and realized that something was wrong. Tigrerra's words rang in her ears, and she nibbled on her lip.

"Eel Weakness nullifies the opponents ability and blocks any new abilities to activate," Fabia quickly explained, having recovered and joined Runo in the circle once more. Runo turned to her, listening intently. "As far as I know, there is only one way to reverse it, and that's to have an ally attack for you. But you don't want-"

She was interrupted by Stoica's raspy but perfectly audible voice, shouting, "Battle Gear, boost!" Both girls jumped and turned to watch as Stoica sent the Battle Gear flying into the arena. Lithirius's back glowed, and quickly, the shape of the Gear grew there. Then, the glowing shape of it solidified and became more detailed, revealing Razoid Gear.

"Since you can't activate abilities, Mystery Girl, it looks like you're just going to have to suffer a loss at my hands!" Stoica cried gleefully. Runo's stomach clenched. "And maybe after I've taken your Haos Splight, you'll change your mind about telling me your name!" Runo hissed.

"Milady," Splight called. "What do you propose we do?" Runo didn't get a chance to answer.

"Ability activate! Razoid charger!" Stoica cried. Runo gasped, staring at the stats on the BakuColar. The BakuColar called out the stats just then.

"Lytherius and Razoid power increase to one thousand four hundred. Splight power decrease to six hundred."

"The power difference!" Baron shouted. "It's more than five hundred!"

"NO!" Runo screamed, then lifted up a hand. "Gate card, open! Aquos spotting out!" But just then, several torrents of lightning shot forth from Razoid's claws. Splight crossed his arms in front of his chest, letting out a yell of pain as the lightning collided with him. Runo gasped.

"Splight!" she yelped. The lightning bolts kept coming, and Splight could only take so much. Within seconds, a bright white glow had started up around his body, and then, he swirled back into ball form. The eyes of everyone in the audience were wide as the small ball shot back toward Runo, landing at her feet.

"Life force sixty percent," the BakuColar droned. Runo's eyes were wide in shock at her loss, and she was breathing hard. Once her heart stopped pounding at the prospect of loosing her partner again, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned, bending over to pick up the small Haos Bakugan.

"But wait a minute! The power difference was more than five hundred," Mason protested.

"No it wasn't," Rubanoid corrected him. "She opened her Gate Card at the last second."

"Spotting out is a Gate Card that subtracts five hundred points from each Bakugan on the field with the attribute you name," Ace explained. "It managed to bring Lytherius' Power Level down enough to save Splight."

"Something about Runo's battling seems off today," Alice commented as she slowly descended the steps of the stands. Heads turned to make sure of their guest, who was frowning at the battle field. "She's just attacking blindly, just like she used to."

"You know... you're right," Julie realized. "When we fought Tricloid and Rebeder in Vestroia, she seemed to have a strategy. Now she's just firing attack after attack..."

"She's mad," Mira summed up. The heads turned toward her now. "She's mad that the Gundalians took Dan. More than mad, I think, and the way that Stoica just kept joking with us that they might have taken him sent her over the edge. That's why she's just attacking and attacking instead of constructing a strategy to help her."

"She's going to need to change that if she wants to beat those two," Ren noted. "Stoica and Kazarina are very tough opponents. I'm sure that by now she's realized it."

"The next round will turn the tides of this battle, I'm sure of it," Shun agreed, watching her intently as she sighed.

"Sorry Splight," she murmured. "I was letting my anger rule my decisions. Tigrerra was right. I'll do better this time, I promise!"

**And that's it for chapter 9. The next one will be all battle, since I've been wanting to write some battle scenes for a while now...**

**Notice: I do not own Haos Splight. It is an existing Bakugan. You can find a picture of him if you Google his name, or go on the Bakugan Wikia. I made up his abilities, but took to heart some information shared about him on the website.**

**Thank you reviewers for reviewing! Please let me know if there is anything I need to work on!**

**Review!**


	10. Devastation

**"Anger is a great force. If you control it, it can be transmuted into a power which can move the world," - William Shenstone.**

* * *

><p>Dan knew something important was going on when Mylene called for him that morning.<p>

Dan had been lying on his bed in his prison room when she called. The room wasn't quite a cell. But it wasn't a very inviting room either, with it's plain, metal walls designed to keep the occupant inside. There were no windows at all, unless you counted the large, open hexagon shapes in the door. Dan had learned from Hydron that those hexagons could be interlaced with smaller, deadly laser hexagons that would just as easily cut through paper as human skin. A metal desk was built into the corner of two walls on the far side of the room, with a hair brush resting on it's surface. There was a door on one wall, the one opposite the bed that was bolted to the floor, that led into a plain, full bathroom. The sink was made of some non-rusting metal, and the tub was made of some white ceramic, but built into the floor. There were sliding glass doors on the sides of the tub for privacy, and a black towel draped over the towel rack. The toilet was porcelain, but there was no toilet cleaner or anything there. The Gundalians clearly weren't taking any chances.

He had been thinking, trying to rule out some of the possible reasons for his capture, other than the obvious, of course, but her voice had sliced right through the fragile fibers of thought, causing them to fragment and dissolve as the misty vapors of a dying fire. "Dan, you need to come and take a look at this!" Dan sighed, trying to seize some lingering trace of the thought web, but he was snatching at smoke; unable to retrieve so much as a single thread of the fog that had once clouded him.

He sat up and grimaced when he pulled his shoulder forward in an effort to lift his upper body. The blow that Stoica had landed on his shoulder just before Dan passed out in the car was still sensitive, as were the remnants of crashes against the riverbank, and when Dan had looked in the mirror, he could see the large dark blue and purple bruise covering his skin. It had surprised him to see just how much skin it covered, and then how vile looking it was. He concluded that Stoica had whacked him far harder than was necessary (which was not at all), and, if only for that reason, he was going to make things hell for his captors for as long as he was in their custody.

It had taken him only seconds to make it from his room into the conference room, as they sat side by side in the hallway. There he found the blue haired young woman sitting in front of what looked like a computer, accompanied by Lync. She was sitting back in her chair, watching the screen intently, but glanced behind her when Dan walked in.

Her eyes were still sly and cunning, but instead of holding within them an icy hatred for the leader of the Brawlers, they now concealed a hidden warmth. When he had first woken up, her eyes had been wide with curiosity and fear for him, despite their previous rivalry, but now they showed a strange puzzlement and satisfaction. Dan walked up behind her, resting the gloved left hand of his Castle Knight uniform on her chair, standing to her right.

"What's up?" he asked. Lync looked up from his rapid typing and frowned, pointing at her computer screen.

"I think we found something you'd be interesting in watching," he said with a short lived smirk. Mylene pushed her chair, which was on wheels, over to the left, giving him the space to stand where she had previously been sitting. His eyebrows furrowed at the screen as his eyes focused, and he realized that he was looking at. His deep, blood red orbs widened in shock and his jaw dropped. The next thing he knew, he was leaning forward on the table, bracing his arms against the edge of it. His elbows were bent, and it looked almost as though he were about to jump into the screen itself.

"What the heck is she doing?" he hissed. There, on the screen, four individuals were standing on opposite sides of a battle arena. Two blue haired girls were on one side, and two Gundalian figures that Dan easily recognized stood on the other. The navy blue haired girl on the right was wearing a white Castle Knight uniform, and the first question that rose to mind concerning her was what her purpose in Interspace was that the present moment. She should have been on Nethia, organizing the restorations of the kingdom.

The girl to her left was the one that concerned Dan the most. The one with the aqua hair, tied up tightly with blue and yellow hair bands. The one with bright orange socks and white shorts, and yellow belly shirt with cuffs on the upper arms. A white undershirt was almost hidden beneath her belly shirt, but stood out on her arms despite the fact that it didn't cover her stomach. Her boots reached her ankles and didn't have so much as a tint of dirt on them. And the girl's face! The enraged expression that had hijacked her features almost made Dan flinch and feel sorry for whoever was on the receiving end of her anger. But he knew who was on the receiving end, so he didn't find any sympathy in his heart to give.

The hatred in her eyes was like a venom that could easily poison and kill any unsuspecting victim. The fire that lived in her livid emerald orbs blazed brightly, fed by none other than the breath of life itself. The anger was in every fiber of her being. It controlled her now, Dan could easily tell. The childlike arguments he had shared with her were nothing compared to the fury that coursed through her now, that could easily light her blood in a brilliant blaze like it was kerosene. Dan's eyes were wide at the sheer intensity of it, which was enough to make his face pale even though he wasn't even in the same galaxy as she was.

On the other side of the battle arena were none other than Stoica and Kazarina, both of which were smirking like they found her turmoil amusing. They probably did. The confirmation of this speculation wouldn't surprise Dan, as these two Gundalians were probably the most sadistic beings in the universe. He wouldn't be surprised if they laughed in any situation where he was harmed. Stoica was holding his Aquos Lythirius proudly with his arms crossed over his chest, and Dan wondered if it was possible to look more cocky than he did then. Kazarina, on the other hand, appeared to be quite satisfied with the battle that had just taken place, and seemed eager to start the next match judging from the way she held the card in her hand.

"Is that Princess Fabia?" Sid asked, coming up behind Dan. Dan's eyes flicked to the second bluenett, the one with darker hair, and nodded.

"Yep, and my... One of the girls on my team," Dan said slowly, realizing that because he enclosed his break up with Runo in the letter on his desk, the two were no longer an item. No one seemed to notice this, however, and as Shadow and Volt entered the room, Mylene decided it would be more practical to put this on a big screen.

"Oh, everyone just sit down!" she snapped as they started to gather around Dan. "We won't be able to see with everyone standing like that." She rolled her chair over and tapped a few keys on the keyboard, and then the image was transferred to a large screen mounted on one wall in the conference room.

"Is this seriously a prison?" Dan questioned her, tilting his head to the side suspiciously.

She shook her head. "No, this isn't. It just happens to be remote in comparison to the rest of the city. No one can hear you scream..." Dan stiffened at this remark, but Mylene didn't notice. She was too intent on the screen, upon which Runo and Fabia appeared to be conversing. Dan glanced down at the bottom of the screen, where Runo's Life Guage was displayed. Dan bit his lip at the sight of it, noticing how Runo's was at sixty percent. He guessed that she had fought Stoica and lost her battle, going by the look of smug satisfaction etched on Stoica's face. Dan hissed when he began to speak.

"What's the matter, Girl?" he leered, making Runo shoot her look of rage toward him. Dan half expected the Aquos brawler to be incinerated upon visual connection with Runo, but he just found her anger comical. "If you can't take loss like a brawler, then why are you a member of the Battle Brawlers? And more importantly, why are you and Dan together?" Dan growled, his fists clenching. He could see that Runo was having about the same reaction, but that was until Fabia grabbed her wrist.

"Runo, you show him what you're made of," Dan whispered. "Make him eat those words!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Runo, I need you to listen to me," Fabia said quietly. Runo's glare softened when she turned to her tag team partner, taking in the insistent look in her eyes. Runo still appeared to be quite angered though, and Fabia took her other hand to try to get her to pay more attention to her rather than the controlling emotion. Runo blinked at her, then glanced at Tigrerra, who had appeared beside Fabia. Aranaut had popped out on Fabia's shoulder, just as Splight hovered in front of Runo's face.

"Huh?" Runo asked, confused. Fabia looked at her urgently.

"We need a strategy this time. You let your anger rule you're decisions in that last battle, Runo," Fabia told her. "Now it's Kazarina's match. She knows how I battle, but you are still a mystery to her, unless she's studied your battle strategies."

"Runo, you need to calm down," Tigrerra agreed quietly. "If you can't, then you'll lose." Runo sighed, her shoulders still stiff with that contagious emotion. She took a deep breath and let her shoulders relax, dispelling as much of her anger as she could.

"What are you two whispering about?" Stoica leered, making the two blink and look up, shooting irritated glares in his direction. Runo looked like she was about to turn and challenge him again, but Fabia squeezed her wrists, bringing Runo's focus back to the Nethian princess.

"Milady, take another deep breath," Splight suggested. Runo closed her eyes, relaxing her hands and shoulders once again. Within seconds, she felt much better, and when she opened her eyes, everything seemed clearer. Sharper. Sounds were easier to decipher, and physical sensations more defined. Fabia grinned at her briefly, an expression that Runo returned, then became serious once again.

"Listen. If you jump in during our battle when things get tough, but use an ability to camouflage your Splight, you might be able to get an edge on Lytherius," Fabia said. Runo blinked at her.

"Huh? But I thought you said that it was Kazarina's turn now," Runo protested. Fabia shook her head.

"I did."

"Lumagrowl is mine," Aranaut said, making the two girls and the other two Haos Bakugan turn to him. "I took him down before, but I believe that Fabia would like her own revenge against Kazarina."

"That's right," Fabia agreed. "I need to make her pay for all the suffering she's caused." Fabia had turned to glare at the Gundalian woman, who was watching her with a knowing smirk. Fabia shot her a glare, then turned back to Runo quickly. "Stoica will jump in to try to get the edge on me, and when that happens, you need to get the upper hand on him, and quickly, so that I can finish off Kazarina."

"Okay," Runo nodded.

"Your little strategies won't prove to be any match for me!" Kazarina called, lifting her Gate card. "Gate card, set!"

"Remember: keep a low profile," Fabia said softly. Runo narrowed her eyes at Stoica, but nodded in response to Fabia's statement.

"Bakugan brawl!" Kazarina cried. "Bakugan stand! Rise, Haos Lumagrowl!"

"I may have lost to you last time Aranaut," Lumagrowl snarled, "but this battle with have a different outcome, I promise you!"

"Looks like old disputes still have yet to be resolved," Jesse smirked, but no one paid him much attention.

"Are you ready Aranaut?" Fabia asked the small Bakugan resting in her hand.

"You better believe it, Princess!" he nodded, closing his ball. Fabia closed her hand, raising her eyebrow at Lumagrowl.

"Bakugan brawl!" she shouted. "Bakugan stand! Let's go, Haos Aranaut!"

"In the name of my former master Jin, I will take you down!" Aranaut punctuated his declaration with his usual air punch and flip as he emerged from his Bakugan ball. He then turned to Lumagrowl, who had lowered his head and stiffened, baring his teeth at his nemesis. Their power levels appeared on the screen above the arena. Both Bakugan were even with twin power levels of nine hundred.

"Looks like we meet again, Aranaut," Lumagrowl growled. "Our fates have intertwined once more."

"And we're enemies once again," Aranaut acknowledged. "But our previous battle shall have no bearing on this encounter. You only lost last time because you were distracted by Kazarina."

"This is the rematch I've been waiting for," Lumagrowl agreed. His eyes narrowed and his teeth glinted. "Let's cut the chit chat! Time to get down to business!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Aranaut yelled, holding up a fist.

"Ability activate!" Kazarina cried, lifting a hand over her head and then lowering it to her side. "Arcadia sword!" Lumagrowl assumed a stable stance, and then bursts of golden swords shot forth from his tail. Fabia hissed, and Runo bit her lip as five hundred points were subtracted from Aranaut and transferred to Lumagrowl.

"Ability activate!" Fabia countered, holding the card out in front of her due to her lack of a BakuColar. "Light wave!" Aranaut held up a hand and the shield rippled out in front of him. Lumagrowl's attack collided with it, and Aranaut winced, grunting, as he braced his feet against the ground. Lumagrowl's power level dropped down to nine hundred again, just as Aranaut's rose to the same level.

"Ability activate!" Kazarina yelled out. "Blade fantasma!" Aranaut hissed, knowing the shield wouldn't hold up against that ability.

"You're going down Aranaut!" Lumagrowl declared, the lightning bolt conjured by his ability zig-zagging toward Aranaut quickly.

His power level once again dropped to five hundred points. The attack slammed into the shield, shattering it, and Aranaut let out a yell of pain as he was sent flying backward. "Aranaut!" Fabia cried in anguish, whirling to watch as he collided forcefully with some arena seats.

Everyone in the stands grimaced while Baron watched, enthralled. Nemus floated up in front of Baron's face, and the fourteen year old boy blinked at him. "So this is the real Aranaut," he mused.

"Looks like it," Baron nodded as Aranaut got to his feet.

"Lumagrowl must be very powerful if he is able to take Aranaut down like that," Ace murmured. Mira was silent, watching as Aranaut steadied himself.

"You look a little shaky there!" Lumagrowl commented. "Are you sure you don't want to give up?"

"Not a chance, Mutt," Aranaut retaliated. "Princess!" Fabia nodded.

"Right! Consecutive ability, activate! Mirage fist!" She held the card up above her head. "Plus mirage up!" The two modified Kama weapons appeared on his arms and swung forward for him to grab, and then he crossed his arms in front of his chest, his body glowing gold as he forcefully brought them to the side. His power level jumped up by seven hundred, placing him at a two hundred point lead over Lumagrowl. He offered no banter as he leapt forward, startling Lumagrowl with his sudden offensive move.

"Ready, Mutt?" he snarled, slashing Lumagrowl's chest. Lumagrowl jumped back at the last second, and Aranaut missed. He hissed, and Lumagrowl jumped at him. Aranaut dodged to the left and Lumagrowl skidded to a halt where Aranaut had once stood. Aranaut lashed out with the Kama on his right hand, but Lumagrowl spun around with a snarl and leapt at Aranaut. His jaws closed around Aranaut's forearm, but Aranaut was able to easily throw him off. This was the opening he needed, while Lumagrowl bounced off the ground on his side. He lifted his arms, energy gathering at the ends of the cylinders there.

"Fire!" Fabia cried, pointing at Lumagrowl.

"Bakugan brawl!" Stoica shouted, fling Lytherius down onto the battle field. "Bakugan stand!" He had thrown Lytherius down right in between Aranaut and Lumagrowl, and that was where he emerged. His eyes reflected the light of Aranaut's growing attack, and Fabia gasped, Stoica's motives now clear. "Ability activate! Eel weakness!"

"Agh! Not this again!" Fabia groaned as Aranaut's ability was shut down, dropping him down by three hundred. He was now at a power level equivalent with Lytherius', returned to the base power of nine hundred.

"Ability activate! Darkus simulacrum!" Runo cried, a card appearing above her wrist from her BakuColar. Everyone gasped, including Dan and the Vexos, who were still watching the brawl invisibly. Stoica and Kazarina's eyes were wide as a purple, black and silver cloud appeared around the battle arena, once again blinding all those within it.

"What's happening?" Lumagrowl growled, turning from side to side. Fabia blinked, glancing at Runo. She was smirking.

"How did she activate an ability? Her Bakugan isn't even in the battle!" Kazarina cried.

"That's right... you don't know what's going on," she hissed under her breath. "That's because my Haos Splight can change attributes from Haos to Darkus. Take that, creeps." Fabia cocked her head to the side.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Runo's smirk faded as she turned toward Fabia, but then she grinned again.

"I heard you say in the last round that Eel Weakness can only be nullified by your ally," she beamed. "So, I used an ability to put Splight in the battle without them knowing what I was doing, called Darkus Simulacrum." She held up the card, which was still glowing. "At this point, Splight isn't even in the battle yet. He's right here." She opened her hand, revealing a glowing, white Splight pressed in between her thumb and forefinger. Fabia's eyes were wide, her mouth open in amazement. "Darkus Simulacrum also nullifies the opponents ability and prevents them from opening their Gate Card. That way, I don't have to use it just at the start of a battle." She winked at Fabia, and pinched her fingers closer together. Splight shot upward and disappeared into a cloud of swirling shadows. Runo then lifted her arm again, another card appearing there above her BakuColar.

"Ability card, activate!" she yelled. "Pure light!"

The next thing anybody knew, a horrible screech had risen from the center of the battle arena. Dan and the Vexos jumped, as did the Brawlers in the stands. Suddenly, a Bakugan shot out of the dark cloud, landing at Stoica's feet.

The Aquos brawler stared at the ball in shock, his mouth open enough for Dan to see his fangs on the monitor. His eyes were wide, his back arched as he stumbled backward. It was obvious that his mind was reeling. He clearly hadn't thought it possible to lose to Runo. His expression darkened when his Life Gauge dropped to forty percent, and his teeth clenched as he let out a guttural growl.

Runo was smirking, and when Dan looked at the Life Gauge under her face, his eyebrows creased in puzzlement. Fabia, who could be seen on one side of the image, looked just as confused as he did, except she was looking up at the screen above the arena. The Brawlers in the stands shared their bewilderment as they stared at the screen, and Runo's grin grew bigger.

"What? How did she recover two hundred life points?" Stoica snarled, his voice revealing his confusion and fury.

"How is that possible?" Fabia gasped, turning to Runo. She shrugged, holding her arm in such a way that the card was visible. It was glowing.

"Pure light had an effect back in the good old days to bring back Bakugan that had lost a battle," Runo explained. "Now, it has the ability to return Life Points, two hundred at a time. It can't be nullified. However, it can only be activated once per battle, and after that, the card is removed from play." And just like that, the card floating there in front of her arm had a look of static to it, and then, it vanished. Runo lowered her arm, still grinning. "Plus, it's unique to Haos Splight only when it's changed to Darkus, if that makes any sense."

"And here I thought you were the master of illusions, Shun," Ace smirked. Shun allowed a small, satisfied grin to grace his features as he grunted in agreement.

"For all you know, Ace, I could be twenty feet away from you," Shun said quietly.

Kazarina's lip curled, her fists clenched. "It doesn't matter! Finish them, Lumagrowl!" Kazarina ordered.

And then, a yelp of pain quite literally cut through the cover of darkness. Runo and Fabia's emerald orbs both widened considerably and they whirled to face the direction that the yelp had come from. Jake and Baron had both leaned forward, trying to figure out what was going on as the silver and purple cloud dissolved. The now clear arena revealed Splight on one knee, panting, as Lumagrowl paced from right to left not far from him. Aranaut was shifting his weight from foot to foot, arms up in a defensive position over his chest.

"How did he nullify the ability?" Runo gasped.

"Ha! The ability Flashing Peaker nullifies the opponents ability. It activates automatically when Lumagrowl makes physical contact with the enemy," Kazarina sneered, holding up a card. Runo hissed, moving to counter this new development, but then, Fabia's arm bared her path. Runo's angry expression was dropped and she blinked in surprise, lifting her gaze to meet Fabia's. Fabia wasn't looking at her, rather, had her attention focused on Kazarina.

"These two are mine," she said darkly. Runo blinked at the power she commanded with her words, at the perfectly controlled expression on her face. Fabia's shoulders were set in determination, and Runo could see in her a stubborn not likely to yield. She looked at her for a moment, unable to place the urge she felt to heed her words, then sighed.

"Alright," she relented, feeling slightly calmer. She held up a hand, palm up, and Splight began to glow.

"Good luck, Aranaut," he said, and then his body swirled back into the tiny ball that flew back to Runo's waiting hand. Her fingers closed around it, curling delicately. She brought her arm up in front of her chest, her fist hovering over her collarbone. For a moment she looked almost hesitant, nervous.

"Take them down, Fabia," she grinned suddenly. Fabia nodded, focused on the task at hand. Runo took a step back, allowing Fabia to take the stage.

"Alright then. Aranaut! It's our turn!" Fabia called. She lifted her left arm, quickly tapping a few keys on her BakuMeter.

"Ready: Battle Crusher," the crystal droned. Fabia's fingers closed around the battle gear, and she looked up at Aranaut.

"Battle gear, boost!" she shouted, flinging it into the arena. The gear appeared upon Aranaut's back, glowing brightly as he stood there, the tendrils wrapping loosely around him. He angled his face toward Lumagrowl, who stiffened.

"Kazarina," he growled. She nodded, holding out her hand. It glowed, and the battle gear appeared there.

"You will regret taking me on alone, Fabia," she vowed. "Battle gear, boost!" It took only seconds for Lumagrowl's Barias Gear to appear upon his back, it's appearance punctuated by Lumagrowl's deathly howl. Kazarina's trademark smirk was back, but Fabia didn't care. She stood in a combative position, prepared for whatever Kazarina decided to throw at her.

The two Haos Bakugan in the arena stared at each other for a moment, once again taking in the others Battle Gear. Aranaut's lip curled at the sight of the weapon that had killed his former master and beloved friend. Fabia just seemed ticked off in general. Kazarina had a sick grin on her face that would have otherwise chilled Fabia to the bone, but this time, was ignored. Lumagrowl just narrowed his eyes at Aranaut and began pacing, and Runo stiffened.

"How is it that you are still alive?" Fabia called while the arena was silent, apprehension keeping the vocal cords of the spectators from making any sound. Kazarina crossed her arms, leaning back smugly. "I saw your body myself. Both Nurzak and I checked for a pulse, and yet your body had none. The Sacred Orb couldn't have played any part in your survival, so how is it that you still live?"

"Well if you must know," Kazarina drawled, "I am what you recognize as a Prophet Illusionist." Whatever Fabia had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been that. Her eyes grew wide and her sharp intake of breath was audible to everyone in the arena. Both Kazarina and Stoica sneered at Fabia's reaction, while everyone else in the arena seemed rather confused. Runo shot her a look that clearly demanded an explanation, but Fabia didn't pay any attention to her partner.

"I believe that explanation is sufficient, little girl," Kazarina concluded before whipping out a card. "Let's see if you're worthy to accept that information, shall we? And of course, if you do lose, Aranaut will always come in handy in my research." Fabia shook her head, gritting her teeth at the threat to Aranaut's safety. "I beg to differ, Prophetess," she teased further, and Fabia's eyes widened desperately. Quickly, she pulled out a card of her own, acting on her need to shut the Gundalian woman up.

"Battle gear, ability activate!" both girls cried.

"Battle Crusher Doom!"

"Barias Gear Lightning!" At that same moment, both Bakugan rushed each other. The gun over Aranaut's shoulder took aim and Lumagrowl leaped up into the air. Aranaut arched his back, keeping the wolf in sight, and the targeting system locked on Lumagrowl's chest.

The two light attributed attacks collided at the center of the arena, sending shockwaves back to everyone within range. Fabia and Kazarina braced themselves sufficiently while Stoica and Runo were forced a few steps back, both of them dropping to one knee in an effort to keep from flying away. Ace had grabbed Mira and forced her to turn her head toward his chest, and Keith had his hands on her shoulders as he gritted his teeth against the explosion. Alice and Julie grabbed each other, hugging each other tightly against the blast. Shun had his hands on Alice's shoulders, just like Jake had his on Julie's.

But before the blast could even die down, the two Haos Bakugan were locked in fierce combat. The two of them moved so quickly that not even Lytherius could keep up with the action. Fabia and Kazarina watched the two leap and slash and fling attacks at one another with wide eyes, eyes that were only able to detect flashes of bright yellow light that clouded their vision with flashbulbs. Those in the stands searched for the location of the two enemies, for they moved like lightning: here one second, there the next, one on the ground, and the next instant, both suspended freely in the air. When they slowed down enough for everyone to keep up, Aranaut quickly landed as many punches as his Valkyrie Fist ability would allow him, causing Lumagrowl to activate his Fang Dome ability. And the next thing anyone else knew, both of them had sprung back a ways, both breathing hard.

"Impressive," Aranaut remarked, but his tone was bitter and the praise forced between breaths.

"I could say the same for you, Castle Knight," Lumagrowl growled back, the fur on his back standing up as his chest heaved.

"But you'll have to do better if you want to take me down," Aranaut vowed, holding up a fist.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, scum," Lumagrowl fired right back.

"Gate card, open! Capacity booster!" Kazarina shouted, lifting an arm above her head. Fabia hissed as Aranaut's power level dropped to nine hundred.

"The gate card capacity booster brings the opponents power level down to it's base level, and allows the level two class Battle Gear ability to activate," Dan explained to the confused individuals in the room.

"Now, what's that you said about doing better, Aranaut?" Lumagrowl challenged. Aranaut hissed.

"Battle gear ability level two activate!" Kazarina cried, looking all too happy. "Barias Gear Thunderbolt!" Lumagrowl braced himself, and then two large jets of golden light spiraled forward, drilling their way through the air toward Aranaut's chest.

"Aranaut!" Fabia shouted. Aranaut didn't respond. He braced his feet against the ground, bending his knees for extra support. He held out his arms, and Fabia understood the wordless gesture. "Ability activate! Light wave!" she cried, and the shield appeared in front of his hands. It did little against Lumagrowl's attack, though, and as soon as the attack collided with the translucent shield of light, it shattered. Aranaut was sent flying backward with a yell of pain, his back slamming into an unoccupied area in the stands.

"Aranaut!" Fabia screamed. The great Haos Bakugan groaned, struggling to lift his head, and Kazarina smirked.

"Well, it seems that Aranaut isn't as tough as we thought," she sneered, and Fabia turned her heated gaze back to her. The woman had crossed her arms and leaned back on one foot, flashing her snide smirk at the two Haos brawlers on the opposite side of the arena. Runo licked her lips and stepped forward angrily, now shifting her weight from foot to foot at Fabia's side. Fabia, on the other hand, looked positively murderous, and Stoica cackled at the sight of her anger.

"Shall we make them squirm a little more, Kazarina?" he questioned, shooting her a glance out of the corner of his eye. She didn't look back at him, but she did seem to like the idea.

"I don't see why not," she responded, her demonic gaze fixed on both Fabia and Runo. The two girls stiffened at the sadistic glint in her eyes, and then Fabia gasped.

"_Run_!" Runo didn't need to be told twice. The two girls took off, sprinting toward the door of the arena, but Kazarina was quicker.

"Not so fast kiddies! Battle gear ability activate! Barias Gear Thunderbolt!" Lumagrowl aimed for the two fleeing girls, and the gear began to glow.

"PRINCESS!" Aranaut screamed, shooting to his feet and running to protect Fabia and Runo.

"_Runo_!" Julie and Mira cried, while Alice was speechless.

"Fabia!" Ren yelled.

Runo tripped, going down with a cry of surprise, just as Aranaut positioned himself in between Lumagrowl and the girls. Fabia gasped as she felt herself falling, too, landing on top of Runo. Everyone covered their eyes as the arena filled with light, and a cry of pain reached everyone's ears. Fabia squinted and turned her face toward the arena, terrified for Aranaut, but she grimaced. This light proved to be too much, and darkness swallowed her.

"Runo! Fabia!" Dan cried, shooting to his feet in the meeting room. His knuckles were white, his horror evident on his face. Sid's eyes were wide in disbelief, and everyone else's mouths dropped open in shock.

This terror went on for several seconds before the lights died, but it was impossible to see for the flashbulbs that blocked everyones eyes anyway. Runo, on the other hand, was the only one who hadn't been blinded, and she tried to sit up. A body rolled off her own, and Runo froze. Her eyes had locked on the spot where Kazarina and Stoica had been standing, but only ghosts of their presence remained. Lumagrowl had vanished, and the devastation of the arena was the only clue that he had even been there. Runo forced herself to look down.

"_Fabia_!" she whispered at first, catching sight of Fabia's scratched and bleeding face. "FABIA!" Rafe and Linus gasped, shooting to their feet before anyone else.

"Princess!" Linus shouted.

"PRINCESS!" Rafe screamed. Both boys vaulted over the edges of the arena boundary, rushing to her side. Runo looked up at them helplessly as Linus bent down, his fingers lightly touching her jugular. Rafe quickly scooped up Aranaut, who was resting on the ground just a few centimeters from Fabia's hand, and watched as Linus's terrified expression turned to one of relief.

"She's alive," he whispered, and his shaking hand retreated. "But she needs to get to the infirmary, now!"

"Right!" Rafe nodded, and Linus helped Runo to her feet. The only problem was that she was shaking so badly that he had to drape her arm over his shoulder in order to help her to the door. Shun jumped down from the stands, landing at Runo's left side. He gasped.

"You're bleeding!" he exclaimed, and Runo lifted her left hand, placing it on her cheek. He was right. Blood was coursing down her face, and Runo stared at the red liquid stupidly for a moment. Shun ducked under her other arm, and Runo surrendered her weight to the two boys, allowing them to carry her through the door of light at the end of the arena.

* * *

><p><strong>Agh... sorry it took so long to update... I was working on some art that I will post on my DeviantArt account for this story (It took me two days to finish one of the seven characters featured in this picture -_-) and I had to read a few books for school even though school hasn't started yet. Anyway, I hope that answered a few questions... actually I think that might have left more questions than you originally had... -_- Anyway, I'll try to update quickly! Sorry again!<strong>

**You know the drill!**


	11. Agony

**"I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain, torture it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage," Friedrich Nietzsche.**

**To be honest, I'm scared of writing this chapter, but I want to and need to write it nonetheless. Read at your own risk...**

Dan eyed his captor's back apprehensively, once again pulling against the plastic tie that bound his wrists behind him. The tie cut into the flesh at the back of his wrists, and Dan was sure that he could feel blood dripping down his hands. He walked angrily between the two teens, his shoulders taut and his jaw clenched. He kept his head down, and his bangs dangled in front of his face. He hadn't had a chance to go to a barber when he got back from Nethia, and now his hair was growing longer than he wanted. It wasn't hard to hide his eyes.

The Gundalian teen in front of him glanced behind him every so often, checking to make sure that Dan was still there. His footsteps were nearly silent, and his Castle Knight uniform made no sounds to give away his presence. Anubias narrowed his eyes at the supposedly number one battler. He had expected him to be a little more aggressive, a little more fearless. Maybe even a little more reckless than he already was. Anubias turned forward again, running his clawed fingers over his cheek lightly. It throbbed dully, for Dan had managed to land a plastic hairbrush on that very spot in an effort to resist being taken from the room. Anubias had to admit the kid had guts, but he couldn't help but expect more from the teen.

The Nethian woman, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a bit impressed at Dan's skill. He had thrown a plastic hair brush from across the hallway and somehow managed to land the spiky part right on Anubias' right cheek. Catching him had taken almost ten minutes, even with his allies confined to their rooms. It took a long time just to back him into a corner and jump on him. And getting the plastic tie around his wrists! That was something that she didn't want to revisit.

Dan was silent, his eyes glued to the metal floor beneath his feet. It passed by like a treadmill to him, just one endless stretch of gray that kept rolling beneath him. He glared down at it, pulling against the plastic ties again. Once again, they just pinched his flesh, and he flexed his fingers. They were numb. Dan's lip curled and he clenched his fists, willing sensation to return to them. His efforts were futile.

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman behind Dan grabbed his arm. He stiffened, but stopped, and Anubias, who had introduced himself before attacking him, as if comradeship would be possible among enemies, stopped in front of a door. He turned, frowning at Dan, who lifted his defiant gaze to glare into Anubias's eyes. There was a resistance on the plastic tie and Dan fought the urge to grimace, then it fell away. Dan ripped his arms forward, lifting a hand to strike Anubias, but Anubias caught him at the wrist. Dan's eyes widened in surprise and pain while Anubias's remained impassive, hard to read. They glared at each other for a minute, but then Dan growled and let his arm relax.

Anubias stepped behind Dan, twisting his arm behind his back, and Dan hissed. His clawed hand closed around Dan's other wrist and held on tightly, holding his arms behind his back. Dan's stomach clenched. He hated being bound. He felt helpless, and he realized that was how the Gundalians wanted him to feel.

The door in front of Dan opened when the Nethian woman ran a hand down a panel on the side of it. The metal doors slid open rather than opening up or out, something Dan had grown used to. Anubias pushed against Dan's arms, and Dan took that as an order to step forward.

Anubias forced him into the room, then released his arms. Dan turned angrily, shooting a death glare at the Gundalian, and then his eyes flicked to the pale skinned Nethian. She had followed him into the room, and the door closed behind her. Dan glared at her, then turned back to Anubias, rubbing his bleeding wrists. His blood smeared over his palms and fingers and left him feeling sticky and irritated.

Anubias had moved forward and Dan took a step back, lifting his fists. Anubias glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he passed, and Dan lowered his arms slightly. He turned nervously, wanting to keep Anubias within eyeshot. Anubias stooped over the chair in the middle of the room. Dan bit his lip when he saw it, taking in the restraints on the legs and arms of it. His eyes widened and he swallowed hard, his tongue darting out to moisten his dry lips.

Anubias straightened up then, and turned to face Dan. Dan glared at him. Anubias tossed something in the air, and Dan automatically lifted his arms to snatch them from their free fall. Dan's fingers easily closed around the fabric, yanking them down for him to examine. His eyes narrowed at the red tank top that looked like it might be his size, and then at the loose white yoga pants. He glared at them, then lifted his heated gaze to meet Anubias's.

Anubias was looking at him expectantly, leaning back against the wall of the room with his arms crossed. Dan shot a glare at the woman, who was also watching him, and then glared back at Anubias.

"What?" he muttered, crossing his own arms.

"Get changed," Anubias said shortly. Dan stared at him, his glare softening for a brief second to show his confusion, but then it hardened once more.

"No." Anubias didn't seem surprised at this answer. He didn't move, but the woman did.

"You might want to consider it, for if the master discovers your disobedience, he will surely deliver a punishment most befitting for your crime," she declared, resting a hand on her chest and lifting one in the air. Dan stared at her, lifting an eyebrow.

"No."

"Listen kid," Anubias said calmly. Dan shot him a glance. "If you don't get dressed by yourself like a big boy, we'll just help you do it ourselves. It's your choice." Dan glared.

"Yeah, as if. If you think I'm gonna work with you, you've got another thing coming," Dan muttered. He didn't make any move suggesting that he'd cooperate. There was no way he'd take off his Castle Knight uniform, which was the last line of defense he had between their claws and his skin. If they wanted him even more vulnerable than he already was, standing there at their mercy, they'd have to fight him to do it.

Anubias watched him with his calculating gaze, as if deciding if he should really take the bait Dan laid out for him. His reptilian eyes and Dan's blood red orbs locked in an unannounced staring contest, which Dan seemed determined to win. Neither had the opportunity, however, when the woman stepped between them.

"Fine then. If you won't do it yourself, maybe you need a bit of..." she held up her hand, which started to glow green, "persuasion..." Dan glared at her now, undeterred by the threat.

"Sellon, he doesn't want him to be too injured before..." Anubias trailed off, his eyes finding Dan's face. Dan smirked, but Sellon didn't care about Anubias's warning.

The next thing Dan knew, he was lying with his back against the wall, his head ringing, and his chest hurting like he had been hit by a sledgehammer. He groaned, struggling to lift his head. Stars clouded his vision, and when they cleared, hands had gotten to work on the uniform. Dan shook his head, trying to resist, but all his efforts earned him was a slap across the face. Dan grimaced, then mumbled his submission.

"Alright... Alright! I'll do it, okay?" He'd rather take off the uniform himself than endure the humiliation of someone else doing it for him. The hands left him and he opened his eyes, perceiving the gray hand of Anubias just inches from his face. Dan glared at him even through his misery and pushed against the wall, using it as a support. He ignored Anubias's outstretched hand and pulled himself up with difficulty, his head throbbing.

Dan, against his better judgement, slowly peeled off the uniform. Only now, when he stood in the room in just his boxers, did he realize just how much he had relied on the uniform for security. Now that Anubias had taken it from him, Dan noticed the sickening feeling of vulnerability that washed over him. He nibbled nervously on the inside of his lower lip as he took the red cotton tank from Anubias's outstretched hand and pulled it over his head. He easily pulled on the white sweats, which he discovered were just his size, and shot a murderous glare at Sellon. She held his Castle Knight uniform over one arm and was watching him with a smirk.

Dan turned to Anubias, challenging him with his heated gaze. "What?" he snarled. "What do you need now?" The door opened, but neither Dan nor Anubias turned their heads.

"That's enough, Anubias, Sellon," a cold, feminine voice said. Dan stiffened, his eyes flicking back to the door. Standing there in the doorway were none other than Kazarina and Stoica, who was pushing a metal cart. Anubias took a few steps away from Dan, hanging close to the door. Sellon ducked into a corner, out of the way, as she watched Kazarina walk in. Stoica followed, turning his head toward Dan. He smirked. Dan's lip curled, remembering the two as the ones who had attacked Runo and Fabia.

"Sit down Dan," Kazarina ordered, crossing her arms and standing beside the chair. Dan glared at her.

"No way! Not after you went after my girlfriend," he snarled, but then froze. _She's not your girlfriend anymore, Dan! Why do you keep thinking she is?_

Kazarina and Stoica sneered at him. "Oh so she is your girlfriend after all!" Stoica cackled. "Looks like we do have something to get out of the kid," he added through his toothy grin. Dan licked his lips, but kept up the defiant glare.

"I suppose that information would be valuable, now wouldn't it?" Kazarina agreed. Dan's fists clenched and his shoulders tightened. His heart was racing with his fear for Runo's safety.

"You can do whatever you want to me," he growled, "but you better stay away from Runo!"

"So Runo is her name?" Stoica quipped. Dan glanced at him. "Your friends were all so clever, trying to keep her name from us! And there you go, without even a little bit of torture(Dan's eyes widened at the use of that word), and give us all the information we need! This is going to be easier than we thought!" Dan hissed, glancing at the door. He wondered briefly if it would be possible to make a run for it, but just as he considered his options, Airzel appeared in the doorway, flanked by Gill and followed by Barodius himself. Dan's tongue darted out to caress his lips again, but then realized that they were already moist. He rubbed the back of his bleeding wrist on his lips, leaving a trail of salty, coppery blood there, then his eyes darted to the tray that Stoica now pushed forward.

His eyes widened when he noticed the tub of some liquid that rested there, along with the three syringes on a tray that accompanied it. There were four white cloths on the metal surface, next to which there was a rack with several vials of clear liquid, vials that would easily fit into a syringe like the ones on the tray. A large pen-like device sat on the metal cart as well, it's cord wrapped around the white plastic of it. The tip was rounded but had a small cone-like point, and there was something about it that made Dan nervous. A bottle of gel laid on the surface, the label hidden underneath it, and what looked like an unconnected electrode pad was lying next to it.

Dan stared, shocked, at the needles, and, with a great effort, tore his gaze from the cart. His eyes locked on Kazarina's sadistic grin, which was obviously tied to his reaction to the instruments. Stoica had controlled his insane appearance and now stood with his hands on his elbows, smirking at Dan. Gill and Airzel sneered at him as well, while Barodius seemed to be the one enjoying this the most. Anubias and Sellon were watching silently, Sellon smirking and Anubias frowning, as if debating whether or not he himself be able to take whatever Kazarina had in store for the human.

The reason for his change of clothes sudden made perfect sense.

"What do you want?" Dan finally asked, forcing himself to ignore the threatening instruments on the cart. Thankfully, his voice didn't crack or shake, but his eyes betrayed his emotions. They held an apprehensiveness for the devices a few meters from him, and before he knew it, his eyes had been drawn back to them. Their sharp points, their long, probing shafts. The liquid inside. Everything about the needles that were at the hands of his enemies made him nervous. Shots at the doctor seemed like child's play now, where he knew the contents of the vial wouldn't hurt him. Here, he couldn't be sure. For all he knew, the vials could contain cyanide, which he had learned from Marucho was a deadly poison. Dan swallowed hard, somehow managing to tear his gaze from the cart.

"You look a little shaky there," Gill commented. Dan shivered. "Maybe you'd better sit down." It was a request, but sounded more like an order. Dan shot a nervous glare at him, a single bead of sweat coursing its way down his jawline.

"Tch... yeah right," he responded. "Do you really think I'll let you just strap me down without a fight?"

"That's fine. None of us really expected you to cooperate anyway," Kazarina smirked. Suddenly, Dan's vision went fuzzy, and he gasped, stumbling. His vision cleared a second later, and he glanced at Kazarina. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, and he curled his lip at her.

"Fine then," Barodius growled, but the smirk on his face suggested that he had been hoping for this response. "I'll just have to teach you a lesson, then..." He lifted his hand, and suddenly, purple electricity was running up and down his fingers. Dan gasped, taking a step back, only to find that his back was already pressed against the metal wall. His heart rate spiked, and then, the bolts of lightning shot forth from Barodius's fingers.

Dan screamed when they collided with his chest, sinking to the ground and writhing in the intense pain the lightning brought. The flimsy fabric of the red nightshirt had offered little protection against the shocks that now caused him to convulse on the ground, and he was dimly aware of the fabric sizzling, melting onto his chest. The pain didn't stop there. The intense agony that jumped around his center also pulsed throughout his body, branching down the nerves in his arms like they were tree branches. With each throb the pain intensified in one spot but appeared in another, traveling down his spine and branching out like fire consuming his very muscles. Dan screamed again, feeling that unceasing agony stab his finger tips like needles, and then the area underneath his finger and toenails. The pain was indescribable. Tears coursed their way down his cheeks, and he let out another tortured scream.

"_Stop_!" he begged through his suffering. He was somehow able to understand that this was Kazarina's doing, but that didn't make the pain dull. If anything, it intensified, and he writhed and kicked and lashed out with his arms in small, mechanical movements that conveyed his turmoil. More screams escaped from his mouth. The tears falling down his cheeks stung their trail like salt thrown in invisible wounds that had been gouged in his cheeks. He sobbed in agony, begging between screams for mercy.

And just like that, the pain was gone. Dan whimpered, unwilling to move any part of his body for fear of causing the fire of torture to light again. The tears fell silently, coursing down his cheeks like tiny rivers, unrelenting. His skin tickled where they touched him, but he kept expecting the hellish torture to begin again. He kept his eyes shut tightly, and involuntarily, his fists clenched until his knuckles were white. This action caused his bleeding wrists to raise from the cool, metallic surface of the chair, and the metal restraints bit into his flesh. Wait a minute...

Dan gasped, looking around wildly as he was suddenly released from is paralysis. He couldn't move his head very far, for a metal restraint kept his head up and he choked when he tried to lean forward. He thrashed wildly, surprised to find that his shirt was fine, and he could feel no pain whatsoever. His terrified breathing slowed, and he closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath. His first instinct was to wipe his eyes, but when he went to lift his arm, he found both of them pinned to the arms of the chair. He struggled, trying to lift them up, but his efforts were met with an amused chuckle.

"Don't even bother, Dan," Kazarina told him, crossing her arms. Dan hissed, eying her warily as his tears dried on his skin. She stood only a meter away, watching Dan like one might observe a specimen in a laboratory, only with a brutish amusement that made Dan shiver. "Those restraints have the potential to hold even your friend Jake. I highly doubt that you'll be able to break out of them." Metal cuffs encased his wrists, pinning them to the metal arms of the chair, and similar cuffs had been snapped around his ankles. A metal ring had been fastened around his neck, which, in turn, was secured to the chair. They clearly didn't want him to move.

Dan growled angrily, giddy from the torment he just endured, but stopped struggling. He lifted his eyes from the bonds. Behind Kazarina stood Sellon, who was watching him with a sadistic grin, and Stoica, who shared their cruel mirth. Gill and Airzel stood against one wall, Anubias slouched in the corner, and two hands landed on Dan's shoulders. He jerked in surprise, turning his head as much as he could to look up at his assailants face.

"Did you like that little taste of the emperor's power?" Kazarina questioned as she turned her back on Dan, dipping something on the cart into the tub of liquid there. Dan drew a shaky breath.

"What did you do?" he breathed. Dan was sure that Kazarina found his weakened tone comical, but at the moment, didn't care. He heard Stoica snicker and peered at him warily, which of course, made him just burst out laughing.

"I entered your mind and played with your nerves," Kazarina said after a moment. The glee was obvious in her voice. "I basically induced a hallucination that felt real, in which you had minimal control." Dan stared at her, startled, and stiffened. The hands on his shoulders squeezed him and he grimaced.

"I assure you, boy," Barodius, who was behind Dan, growled with a smirk, "that was nothing compared to what awaits you if you continue to resist." He dug his claws into Dan's shoulders, making the boy hiss in pain. Barodius then lifted his hands from Dan's shoulders and came around the chair, standing to the side of Kazarina.

"Funny. Then how come I'm not scared?" Dan challenged. Barodius smirked, making Dan's stomach clench. Dan glowered at him, but something caught his eye at Barodius's neck. Dan's eyebrows creased in puzzlement at the yellow outcropping there, the small sliver of mustard yellow that stood out against Barodius's gray skin. He wore the same outfit as he had when he invaded Nethia, and he didn't strike Dan as the type to wear scarves or jewelry, so the identity of the colored item puzzled him.

After a moment of examination, Dan decided it wasn't worth it. Why did he care about his enemy's fashion decisions anyway? Dan's eyes returned to the cart that Kazarina still stood at, and he found his heart thumping wildly in his chest. She had plugged the pen-like device into the wall, and now the rounded metal tip glinted. Kazarina turned to Dan then, and Dan felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

"I find that difficult to believe," she smirked, coming around to Dan's left side. She stroked the arm of the chair and after a second, the metal restraint there released him. Dan made to snatch his arm close to his chest, but Kazarina's hand closed around his wrist with a vice like grip. Dan winced. The pressure on the wound stung as he struggled to yank his hand back, but with surprising strength, she managed to pull his arm out to the side, holding it straight out. She shot Sellon a look, and she stepped forward, coming around to Kazarina's side. "After all, who would believe you after the performance you just provided? You seem to be a lot weaker than you imply."

Dan glowered at her with a look of pure loathing, ignoring Sellon for just a moment. He didn't noticed the item she had concealed in her arms, but after a moment of expressing his hatred for Kazarina, he glanced to the side. There stood Sellon, who looked positively gleeful. She handed the device in her hand to Kazarina, who motioned to Gill. He seemed none to happy to help her, but he moved forward despite his obvious misgivings.

His gray, cold hand closed around Dan's wrist in place of Kazarina's, and he forced it down on the cart that Stoica had moved there. Dan's arm now was pressed on the cloth on the cart. He grimaced, his chest leaning too far to the left for his liking. His windpipe was pressed just against the metal collar, making it difficult to take a breath. He refused to tear his gaze away from the scene unfolding before him, even when Anubias tried to distract him by calling his name.

Kazarina smeared some gel on his upper arm, then lifted electrode pad, easily sticking it to Dan's upper arm. He stiffened as Kazarina reached for the pen-like device. As her fingers closed around it, his heartbeat jumped up. Gill, who was watching his face with a probing expression, smirked. Dan glanced at him, then at his hand, which was grasping his wrist so tightly Dan was sure it would bruise. With this examination, he realized that Gill's middle and index fingers were pressed into his radical artery. Gill could feel Dan's heartbeat hammer.

Dan bit his lip, not caring, and turned his gaze back to Kazarina once again. She held the pen-like device in her fingers, and was fiddling with it like one might fiddle with a pencil at school. She was observing Dan's reaction to the events with a somewhat animalistic glint in her eyes. Dan had a suspicion that she wanted to drag out the emotional turmoil as long as she could before finally getting the event over and done with, simply to toy with Dan's resolve. She wanted to see how long he would last.

"Dan," Anubias called again, and because Dan was beginning to get annoyed with the teen's constant request, he turned to look at him. Anubias was watching him silently, a calculating expression etched upon his face. When Dan turned to look at him he expected some sort of taunt or jibe like he might get from Stoica or, as he was becoming familiar with her, Sellon, but he was simply met with silence.

"What?" Dan spat, and Anubias's eyes flicked to Dan's forearm. When he glanced back at Dan barely a second later, a look of pity was conveyed to the nervous teen strapped to the chair.

That was the only warning Dan got before a pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced set in, and his screams echoed throughout the building.

* * *

><p>Dan was pushed into the hallway of his prison almost an hour later with barely enough strength to stand up. He let out a pathetic cry of pain when he hit the ground, his bruised shoulder colliding with the hard, unforgiving metal. He grimaced, curling instinctively into a ball to protect himself from whatever further maltreatment lay in wait for him. His arm where three, dark brown rings of third degree burns were now permanently part of him was completely numb, but his wrist throbbed where a dark blue and purple bruise was forming. His jaw ached where Stoica had landed a punch when Dan tried to resist being dragged through the hallways.<p>

Airzel and Stoica, who were standing just outside the doors to the hallway, watched him lie there through the electricity infused wire in the door, but after a moment, turned to leave. Dan squinted up through the door, making sure that they were leaving. Once their footsteps faded, he let out a groan and struggled to sit up. He was spared the effort when a kind, bare hand landed on his unbranded arm, and an arm wrapped around his stomach.

"Oh my God!" Lync gasped at the sight of Dan's plight. His eyes had found the burns on his arm, as well as the bruising wrist. His bright blue orbs darted back to Dan's face, widening once more as he took in the swollen lump on Dan's jawline. Dan tried to flash him a grin to show that he hadn't been defeated, but it just turned into a pained grimace as he found that he couldn't move his jaw in that way.

" 'S nothin'," Dan mumbled softly, but Lync had already called out for help.

"Mylene! Volt! Guys get over here!" he cried in a panicked tone. "Hurry!"

Heads popped out of doorways, and once they realized what they were looking at, rushed over to the two. Dan once again struggled to sit up, but his body ached from Kazarina's painful mind tricks, and he was only able to lift his back from Lync's arms by a few centimeters before finding the last reserves of his strength depleted. He fell back with a grunt, his face already paling from the effort.

"What happened?" Hydron gasped, stopping short about a meter away from Dan. Dan looked up at him through his pained expression, noticing how horrified the prince seemed to be. Volt kneeled down beside Dan and took in his sweat covered clothing, then regarded him seriously. Mylene stared at him, stunned, while Shadow's mouth had dropped open. Even Sid seemed shocked by this turn of events.

"Kazarina..." Dan spat the name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth, although he couldn't open his mouth enough to express his anger fully. He grimaced right after, shooting pains branching up from his jaw like sparks. Sid shook his head, looking angry but not surprised. Dan leaned against Lync's chest, exhausted, and closed his eyes, but the explosions of purple and black that assaulted him just after his eyelids closed snapped them open again. He watched with little interest as Mylene took his left hand, lifting his arm. Her wide eyes were trained on the lines there that looked like a tiny ice cream scooper had scooped out bits of his skin.

"What did they do to you?" she breathed, repulsed yet amazed. Dan didn't answer, and she tentatively ran her fingers over the burns. Dan didn't flinch, nor even acknowledge her touch. When she lifted her eyes, she noticed that he had averted his gaze and was glaring into the corner. She ran her fingers over his bruised and bloodied wrist and he winced.

He glanced back at her with a guarded look in his eyes, and the two stared at each other for a moment. Once cruel eyes had become curious and concerned. Blood red orbs that had once held a deep hatred and resentment for the one before him now concealed horrors that would haunt him for years to come. But the guard on his face masked that, and Mylene could only see a shadow of his real emotions. He didn't answer, and after a few moments of silence, Mylene looked up at Shadow.

"Lync, I need you to get some cold water and ice cubes, now," she ordered. "Shadow, can you carry him into his room? Put him on the bed. Hydron, do me a favor and get the fist aid kit. Sid, Volt, you two come with us." Gently, Shadow slid an arm under Dan's knees, and then under his back. Dan hissed when his hand brushed the bruise there, and Shadow murmured a soft apology. He braced Dan's lower back instead of his shoulder blades and lifted him up bridal style. Hydron and Lync had both darted away, knowing better than to complain at Mylene's brash way of barking orders. Sid and Volt both followed behind Mylene as Shadow carried Dan into his room. Dan kept his eyes open but unfocused, trying to remain oblivious to the pain that tormented him whenever Shadow moved. It wasn't working very well.

When Shadow laid Dan down on the bed, Dan let out a strangled grunt. Shadow winced out of sympathy, an expression that Dan never thought he'd see on Shadow's face. He slowly removed his arms from underneath Dan's body, and even though Dan grimaced as this action was being preformed, he attempted to give Shadow a thankful smile for his efforts. The smile turned into a wince before he could finish giving his thanks, but Shadow smiled back to reassure the younger teen.

Dan sighed, looking up at the ceiling, as Lync and Hydron returned. Hydron had the first aid kit tucked under his arm while water from the tub of cold water splashed onto him while he and Lync tried to hold it steady between them. They somehow managed to get it over to Dan, and rested it on the strip of flat metal that lined the wall and the bed. Dan hesitantly lifted his arm over the tub of water, then lowered his arm. Dan nibbled the inside of his lip when his fingers plunged into the freezing water, but then his fingers were numb. Lync lifted Dan's back again, trying to help him sit up while Volt grabbed an extra pillow from one of their rooms. When he returned, they propped Dan up on the cushions, and Dan voiced his thanks.

"Thanks guys..." he mumbled around the swelling in his jaw. Mylene took the first aid kit from Hydron and kneeled by the bed, taking Dan's right hand in her own. She opened the kit with her free hand and proceeded to tend to his wound.

"So, what happened?" Shadow asked. "You left with those creepy dudes with your hands behind your back and then you come back all beaten up! What's up with that?"

"They tortured me," Dan responded softly. No one seemed surprised at this response.

"Do you know why?" Hydron questioned. Dan glanced at him, his hand closing around a floating ice cube.

"Yup," he murmured. "They found out(he grimaced from opening his jaw too much) that we watched the battle." That caused eyes to pop and jaws to lower.

"Are you serious?" Volt said cooly, despite the startled expression on his face. Dan nodded weakly.

"Yeah... Kazarina first started burning me to teach me what would happen if I didn't cooperate," Dan mumbled. "And then she and Barodius just kept asking me to admit that I watched the battle. I told them I hadn't, but they knew I was lying because I shouted at them the second they walked in the room."

"Haven't you learned by now to keep your mouth shut around here?" Sid muttered.

"Shut up Sid, you're not helping," Hydron muttered. Sid shot him a venomous glare, but fell silent despite his irritation.

"And they burned the three circles as punishment when it was obvious I wouldn't answer," Dan said bitterly. "And she wouldn't stop getting into my head..."

"I'm amazed you're still normal," Sid grumbled. Dan glanced at him, not willing to try moving his head, while the others turned to look at him. "Most people don't survive Kazarina's torture... Or even return in a state thats slightly close to the way they normally are." Dan stared at him. Sid watched him, his face impassive. "I bet she went easy on you."

"That was easy?" naturally, was Dan's first question. He received no response and sighed, allowing the more troubling aspect of the experience to cloud his mind. "After they branded me, Kazarina put down the pen thing... I think she called it an electrocautery... and told Barodius that she'd disable the computers here. She said that she has to figure out how to use the software, so you guys have a few hours to stop her."

"Lync, I need you to go and lock the computers from outside access," Mylene ordered as she tied off Dan's boy nodded and darted out of the room, his cape flapping in the breeze he created from running.

"Why did they bother torturing you if they already knew that you had watched it?" Myriad Hades, Shadow's Bakugan, questioned Dan. Dan shook his head, looking down into the water at his branded skin.

"Probably just to teach me what would happen if I caused them trouble," he murmured, lifting his free hand and placing it on his jaw. He winced, and judging from the look on Hydron's face, his cheek was pretty badly bruised. Dan sighed, closing his eyes.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," he said after a moment of silence. "You guys should go make sure the computers are protected. Give Lync a hand... I just need a bit of sleep, that's all." Mylene eyed him doubtfully.

"Pfft. You just want to be alone," she muttered. "Fine. If you need help with a shower, ask Shadow." She turned, a cape similar to the one she had worn when she was Dan's enemy shifting with her movement. She hesitated before exiting, sighed, and turned to look at him again. "You said she used an electrocautery?" Dan nodded slightly, earning a groan from her. "Every day I'm going to make you soak your arm in alcohol. That's an electric burn, and a third degree burn. It can get infected. So, I'm going to make you put your arm in a vat of alcohol every morning and night. Don't put any bandages on it." And with that, she stalked off.

Shadow shook his head, then gently placed his hand on Dan's shoulder. Dan looked up at him tiredly, and Shadow tried to give him a reassuring grin. He failed.

"She's just mad that someone has authority over her," he smirked instead. The action came to him naturally whenever he was around Dan, mostly because he was his former rival. "Why do you think she ordered Hydron to blow up the palace?" This statement was followed by a fit of evil cackles. Dan shook his head, then glanced at Hydron.

"She couldn't have been too happy with you then," he grinned slightly before wincing and closing his eyes. Hydron rolled his eyes.

"She tried to kill me when Sid showed up and said I helped him find them," he shook his head. "And that is why Shadow refuses to let her near the weapons store. Well, Volt and Sid help." Volt crossed his arms and walked out of the room, ignoring the explanations, while Sid sat down on the desk chair.

"She's a piece of work," he admitted. "But don't tell her I said that." Dan couldn't suppress a grin at that, no matter how much it hurt. Once Shadow had seen him smile, he grinned, too, and then reached over Dan's body. He gently lifted Dan's arm from the bucket and laid it on the bed, then lifted the water away from the bed. He laid it on the ground in front of the desk, then dried off his arm with a towel. The four teens spent the next few minutes in silence while Shadow dressed the cut on Dan's wrist, trying to avoid touching the three rings on his upper forearm. Those few minutes were more than enough to send everyone back into the despairing mood that had ruled the room a few moments before. Once Shadow had finished, he packed up the first aid kit, got up and walked toward the door. He turned, glancing back at Dan, and ran a hand through his hair. Sid and Hydron walked over to him, both glancing back at their injured ally. Dan had rolled over on the bed, cradling his branded arm. His back was to the three boys. Shadow sighed, lowering his hand, and proceeded to walk through the door. Sid and Hydron followed reluctantly, but none of them turned back.

Dan remained on his side for a moment, waiting until he heard the doors slide shut. Dan was grateful for the doors now. They shielded his weakness from his allies, who had once preyed on his weaknesses, and also protected him from the horrors that lay in store for him elsewhere in the building. Dan didn't want to think about that.

He rolled over onto his back again, and struggled to sit up. He managed to do it, but by the time he managed it, he found his stomach and back aching. He propped himself up on his hands and closed his eyes, grimacing as he lifted his hand to run it through his hair. The grease came away on his fingers and he made a face before flopping back on his back. He winced when his bruise brushed the pillow, but then sighed, going over what really happened in the room.

Kazarina had burned him each time he talked back, since they realized he wouldn't admit he watched the battle after the first two burns. They kept on making snide remarks to get him to speak, and they played it perfectly. Kazarina would make some jibe about Runo, and Dan would fire back to shut up, and of course, he'd get another five second session with the electrocautery. It was pure agony whenever it touched him, and they would try to go as long as they could to make him suffer. The longest zap was thirteen seconds spent in hell, and to Dan, it seemed unending. The agony was concentrated in one location, which was what made it so unbearable. But whenever the device was lifted, the pain was gone, and didn't return. His nerves had been fried.

Dan knew there would be heavy scarring on those three rings of what looked like scooped out flesh. From what Mylene said, he assumed they would get infected easily. And Kazarina had promised him that in two days, the burns would start to hurt badly, and then get worse and worse.

Dan wasn't afraid of the pain. Pain never did much to him anyway. He knew that the pain would fade in time, and it was his job to protect everyone. If he gave in, the planets he had fought so hard to protect would be laid to waste by the one man that seemed capable of the horrors each previous antagonist had promised. As of now, those promises were unfulfilled. Even Barodius's goal was still unaccomplished. But Dan knew that if he were to give in, unspeakable tragedies would shake all of the planets across the dimensions. Quite literally, the weight of the worlds rested on Dan's shoulders. The very future of those he loved rested within his hands, and he wasn't about to crush it like an insect.

Dan looked at the burns with disgust and contempt, but nibbled on his lip nervously. If Kazarina's words rang true, then he would be spending the next week in that same hell he had just escaped. Even though pain normally didn't effect him, despite the fact that he knew it would fade in time, he had one thought that betrayed all of his ideals.

_If things keep going this way, is it even possible to stay strong?_

**And that's my horror story of the week. I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I just started school this week, and we got hit with Hurricane Irene, and then Hurricane Lee. So we were driving around yesterday morning trying to find a safe route to school and saw several cars stranded in water, cars that died, and even some people that just gave up and decided to walk. There is a stream in my front yard, and it was almost overflowing. It only got that bad once, and that was two years ago! We've gotten so much rain that there is no where for the water to go, and there were some wooden guard blocks on the side of the road that got swept into the middle of it! Let me just say that school wasn't an option so we just turned back after two hours of trying to navigate through the water and only making it about two miles toward our destination. So I napped all morning and then finished the chapter. Again, sorry! And thanks to all of you reviewers, I love you guys!**

**Review!**


	12. Apprehension

**"Getting to know someone else involves curiosity about where they have come from, who they are,"- Penelope Lively.**

* * *

><p>Fabia was kneeling against a metal wall, her eyes closed peacefully. Her breathing was even, a detail that was obvious through the tight material of her Castle Knight uniform. Her dark blue locks had fallen in front of her eyes, hiding them from any onlooker. No light penetrated through her eyes to her brain, even though the hallway was unusually bright for the underground passages of Gundalia. She was ignorant as to where she was right now, so it held little importance.<p>

She knew she was having another Prophet Dream, but the lack of sight bothered her. She had tried opening her eyes, but was met only with blackness. The world "blind" rose up to her lips unconsciously, and an unsettling chill had descended over her heart, making her stomach churn. She couldn't move or she would risk getting lost in the halls and walking out of the dream, so she had no other choice than to wait anxiously for whoever she was sharing the dream with to appear. She would have taken much comfort in the fact that she was not alone had Aranaut been with her, but he was absent. _Just like last time_. There was nothing left to do but wait, and hope that whoever controlled the dream she had stumbled upon had good intentions. Somehow she knew she was unlucky.

She didn't have long to wait. After a few minutes spent worrying, high heeled footsteps began to echo throughout the hall, but the heavy footsteps of another followed softly. Fabia stiffened, opening her eyes and trying to peer through the gloom that was invisible to her. After a few seconds she remembered her predicament, but even that was too late. A high pitched cackle met her ears, making her wince, and the footsteps, which had been getting louder, ceased. Fabia knew Kazarina was standing before her, and her suspicion was confirmed when her chin was pressed in between the cold fingers of the sly Gundalian woman.

"This time, Fabia, I know that you didn't come here on your own free will." There was a hint of amusement in her voice, but also irritation. Fabia, despite her blindness, glared in response. Her efforts at trying to be tough earned a snide chuckle aimed in her direction. Fabia was expecting another jibe, but instead, Kazarina's freezing hand moved from her chin. Fabia blinked, hoping that her sight would return, while the cold hand closed around her wrist. Fabia winced when Kazarina's claws dug into her flesh and tugged her upward, and she stumbled to her feet.

"You're sure she can't see?" a deep, raspy voice questioned. Fabia recognized it instantly as the voice of Emperor Barodius, but it sounded much more guttural than she remembered. Much deeper, and it also sounded slightly muffled.

"I'm positive, Sire," Kazarina replied, and Fabia guessed that she bowed with this statement. Fabia stood there, agitated, as the heavy footsteps came closer. She clenched her fists at her sides when Barodius stopped before her. He was close enough for her to feel and smell his rancid breath, making her wonder when he had last brushed his teeth. He had probably never even heard of a toothbrush.

For a moment, he was silent. Fabia didn't speak either, just seethed silently. Then he spoke. "I trust you are aware of my price." Fabia knew he was talking about Dan, and a spark of rage ignited within her.

"I'm not an idiot," she spat with venom. "You want Drago's powers."

"Yes," he said bluntly. Fabia detecting the satisfaction in his voice, and his methods made her feel sick. He just never knew when to stop!

"Why?" she demanded. "Why do you insist on tormenting us?" She gasped when his hand collided with her cheek, making her stumble back in shock. Her back met the wall and she hissed, lifting a hand to rub her throbbing jaw.

"You're not in the place to ask questions!" Barodius snarled. Fabia's lip curled.

"Shut up! What do you want!" she challenged, bracing herself for another assault. Seconds later, after nothing happened, she dropped her guard. It was a mistake. The next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground in agony, electrical charges making their way up and down her body. She groaned and shook slightly, grimacing in pain. She pushed herself up on her hands and knees, her limbs wobbling. A hand with a vise like grip seized her neck then. She gasped as she was lifted up and pressed against the wall, and her lungs were starved of air.

She choked, her arms flying up to resist. Her fingers closed around an arm wrapped in fabric, but at the ends of her pinkies, she could feel a cold, smooth armor-like surface. She grimaced, struggling to loosen the grip. She didn't care about the surface her fingers had brushed against. Instinct had taken over. Her desire to live was visible through her frantic struggles, and she easily conveyed her intense need for air by kicking and choking. Her blood rushed to her face, making her feel very, very scared.

"Are you going to listen to me now?" Barodius growled. Fabia nodded desperately, and she was released. She dropped to her knees, panting, and clutching her neck. Slowly, she regained her breath, but her limbs felt very sluggish. Her chest burned from the lightning, but it was nothing she couldn't take. Now, however, she knew that Barodius was serious, and she didn't plan on doing anything more that was stupid.

"Now..." Kazarina trailed off, circling the princess slowly. Fabia kept her head bowed toward her knees, unwilling to risk her life. She knew that if you were killed in a Prophet Dream, you would be unable to wake up in the real world. She had to wake up, because now, she knew much more than she had the first time Kazarina pulled her into her dream. "You're going to bring that message to your little Brawler friends," Kazarina ordered.

"What makes you think I wouldn't?" Fabia growled.

"I don't like your tone, _princess_," Kazarina snarled. Fabia didn't reply, but her fists clenched. Kazarina paused in her circling. "Of course, if you don't cooperate, we can always punish Dan some more..." Fabia's eyes widened and she gasped, her head snapping upward. Immediately after giving this reaction, she regretted it. She could almost picture the smirks on both of their faces as Kazarina's chilling laugh rang in her ears.

"More?" she whispered. "What did you do to him?" To her surprise, no punishment met her thirst for insight. She stiffened at the lack of response. She couldn't let Dan be hurt, even though she harbored no romantic interest in him. She knew he loved Runo, since he barely stopped talking about her when they weren't out on missions on Nethia. A pang of fear delivered a painful punch in her stomach when she thought about the horrors that he might have been subjected to, and knew she couldn't risk his life. She let out a shaky breath and bowed her head again.

"Let's just say... he had one unforgettable experience," Kazarina snickered. Fabia swallowed hard.

"Fine," she whispered. "What else do you want?"

* * *

><p>"Runo, don't you have to help Julie get to work?" Drago suggested, running low on options. He was floating above the blue-haired girl's shoulder beside Tigrerra, while Splight rested on her other shoulder. Runo, on the other hand, was sitting in a chair beside Fabia's bed, watching the agitated princess twist and roll over in her sleep. Irritated at Drago's fourth attempt to dissuade her from accompanying he, Alice, Julie and Dr. Micheal to Dan's house, she turned on him with her annoyance flashing in her eyes.<p>

"Julie is off today, and I said I'm going! You're not going to talk me out of it! If you don't want me to come, just say so!" she snarled. Her anger looked strange due to the large white bandage encircling her head, and the gauze pad taped to her cheek. She had changed her clothes since the battle to a pair of white jeans and a white spaghetti-strapped top that hugged her stomach and chest. A navy blue sweatshirt had been thrown over that tank top in order to hide a few large bruises that she earned tumbling head over heals from the battle, as well as a few large wounds she had picked up from the same source.

"I would rather you didn't come," Drago said coldly.

"Why?" Runo demanded, making the Pyrus bakugan hop off her shoulder and into the air in front of her. "Why don't you want me to help? You've been against me going to Dan's house from the very beginning! Is there something there you don't want me to see?" Drago was silent, and Runo knew she'd guessed correctly. "What don't you want me to see, Drago?"

"It's... nothing," he said shortly. "I just thought that you might accidentally tamper with the evidence due to your close connection with-"

"Drago, don't give me that crap," Runo snarled. "I don't know what you're up to, and it's obvious you're not going to tell me, but I'm coming whether you like it or not." Drago sighed angrily.

"You are so stubborn it's maddening!"

"Get used to it!"

"Runo, Drago, enough!" Tigrerra cried. Runo crossed her arms and let out an audible "Hmph!", turning away. Drago growled, but floated off in the opposite direction. Tigrerra let out a groan as she jumped off Runo's shoulder in pursuit. "Drago, wait!"

"Milady, you must learn to control your anger," Splight said sharply. "If you are unwilling to do so, your temper could lead to dire consequences. Not to mention your pride." Runo let out an irritated sigh.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." She grumbled something inaudible, then glanced back at Fabia. Her glare melted when she saw the poor girl grimace again, and she sighed as Rafe, who had been kneeling beside the bed, picked up her hand in his own and squeezed it. She had a few cuts of her own on her face, but they were minor. She had a lot of gashes on her back, even though her Castle Knight uniform had protected her from the worst of the attack. Now, the uniform was tattered and torn, so Shun had gone to Nethia to retrieve the outfit she had first worn to Earth.

At the moment, Fabia wore nothing more than a hospital gown for easy access to her healing back. White sheets were pulled up to her chin, and her eyes were squeezed shut as a look of distress came over her. Her limbs were rigid beneath the sheets, and Runo felt a twinge of guilt stab her. Fabia had been this way since yesterday. It was her fault that they had ended up brawling against Kazarina and Stoica. Her anger had proved to have a greater hold over her than her logical reasoning.

Runo breathed out as her anger abated and she started forward through the door. She strode a few meters in the hall, then she closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. "I'm sorry," she murmured again. "I'm just... tense. I'm worried about Dan, and the fact that Drago doesn't want me over there where I might be able to help really... stings." Splight nodded in understanding. She sighed, feeling her eyes prick. "I miss him so much... He never called, he never wrote, he just... up and left. He didn't even tell me he was moving... So... I'm hurt that I can't help him at all, even though last week I didn't even want to have anything to do with him." She grinned half heartedly. "At the very least, I want to get him back so I can slap him for leaving me hanging!"

"You really love him, don't you?" Splight asked after a moment of silence. Runo's grin faded and she averted her gaze, glaring at the opposite wall.

"I wouldn't go that far..." she protested, hiding her blush. Splight chuckled and Runo smiled, walking again. Within moments, she had arrived at the closest access point, and waiting for her there were the familiar faces of Dr. Michael, Julie, Drago and Tigrerra. Runo felt her stomach twist once she caught sight of Drago, and her anger flared up again. Careful to keep a straight face despite her aggravation, she joined the group by taking her place beside Julie, who was leaning on her crutches. She gave Runo a smile, and it was evident that she had no knowledge of the heated battle of words that had taken place in the infirmary a few minutes ago.

"So, are we going?" Runo asked, careful to direct the question at Dr. Michael rather than Drago. If Drago noticed this, he gave no sign of it as he continued to hover in the air in between Julie and Dr. Micheal. Dr. Micheal turned his gaze toward the blue haired girl, then directed it back to the door to the hall.

"Not yet. As soon as Alice comes, then we'll go. I need her help with the new technology, because she knows how to use part of it better than me," he said. Runo nodded. Dr. Michael had explained beforehand that because he had made specific adjustments to the system, Alice's help was needed. At the moment, Alice was assisting Marucho, Ren, Keith, Gus and Mira in the command central for Bakugan Interspace. While Fabia was recovering, Mira had brought up the topic of the Death Bombs, and how those caught within were sent to another dimension. She explained that several experiments had been preformed on the Death Bombs, and they all helped arrive at the possibility that those caught within the portal had survived. Mira had suggested that Marucho and Ren help them with some of the calculations and tests, that way they could truly confirm their hypotheses. They were, at this point, unwilling to let someone go through a Death Bomb's portal, so they wanted to gather more information to confirm their predictions.

Runo nibbled on her lip, then glanced from the door to Julie. Julie was smiling at her reassuringly, and Runo glanced at the foot encased in a bright pink cast. Runo's face fell and she lifted a hand to her heart.

"Um, Dr. Michael?" she asked. He glanced at her. "Can I go ahead with Julie?" Julie blinked, startled, but then seemed to understand that her lack of mobility would be a liability to the group. Julie nodded in agreement with the suggestion, and Dr. Michael glanced at Drago.

"Are you okay with them going ahead?" he asked. Drago hesitated, and Runo felt her irritation stab her once more. Why couldn't Drago understand that she wanted to help?

"Drago, you know that I'll be slower than you guys," Julie said, feeling Runo's agitation. "I'll just slow you down unless I go ahead. And we need to go in pairs, remember?" Runo inwardly smirked, for she had almost forgotten that. Marucho and Shun had decided that in order to prevent further injury and risk, each brawler, unless they could handle themselves like Shun, would not leave Bakugan Interspace without a partner. Not only that, Shun had even gone as far as suggesting that each girl be partnered with a boy, but all the girls quickly shut down that suggestion. Julie and Mira had shouted at him that he was sexist, and that was the end of that. So, pairs were good enough.

Julie adding her voice to the argument seemed to support it better than Runo could alone, and after a few seconds of silence, Drago relented. "Fine. But go together." Runo nodded.

"We will," she vowed. She stepped forward then, into an access point. Julie swung herself up a small staircase, and got situated in an access point herself. Within seconds, the glass dome had lowered around them, and their transport began. Runo squeezed her eyes shut as a tingling came over her body, reminding her all too well of her close encounter with an eternity trapped between dimensions. Her toes vanished, and then, the rest of her did, too. The translation only took a few seconds, and before she knew it, she heard the dome lift in the real world.

Runo opened her eyes, taking in the now familiar scene before her of the private access point above Bakugan Interspace. She took a step forward and descended the small metal staircase, then turned to wait for Julie. Said bubbly girl appeared a moment later, and when the glass lifted, she swung herself out of the circular niche with ease. It took her a moment, but she reached Runo in the center of the room. An accusatory look of puzzlement had etched itself onto her face.

"Okay, what are we really doing?" she asked, eyeing her nervously. Runo averted her gaze, glaring at the wall as she turned away from her best friend. She stared at it for a minute, and when Julie opened her mouth to repeat the question, Runo took a step toward the door. Julie started after her, closing her mouth. Runo led them through the doors of the large computer-building about a minute later, and Julie was lagging behind already. "Runo, wait!" Julie protested, struggling to keep up with her friends brisk pace.

The automatic sliding doors slid open as Runo neared it, and she stopped when the sunlight hit her face. She had cleared the doors and now stood stiffly, breathing in the fresh air. The street was empty, and the twilight sky was a bright orange canvas streaked with red and pink. Large cumulous clouds hung in the sky like huge, immobile pillows of cream colored cotton candy. They inched along in the fading light with the speed of a snail. Their movement was almost undetectable. The orange behind them was so vibrant it rivaled even Runo's socks, which were a bright, creamsicle orange beneath her jeans and boots. Runo's eyes found the sinking sun; it was nothing more than a distant, sparkling penny. Runo couldn't see the ocean from where she stood, but she knew that the sunset must be a truly beautiful sight this evening.

"Runo," Julie whined as she came up behind the bluenette. "Why did you just start going so fast? You know I can't keep up!" Runo blinked, snapping out of her trance. She turned toward the irritated silver-haired girl, who was pouting, and gave her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry Julie," she said quietly, and Julie's pouting expression melted away. Runo turned her gaze upward once again, this time with Julie mimicking her, and gave a slight smile as a gentle breeze toyed with her hair. Julie shifted on her crutches, and the sound snapped her out of it. Runo sighed and took a step forward.

"Come on, I want to get there before them," Runo said shortly, crossing the distance between the doors and the stairs with ease. Julie swung herself forward and matched her pace with little difficulty, and the two descended the staircase together. That was when a powerful gust of wind forced Runo's pigtails to the side, and caused Julie's ponytail to whip up and down. The two girls grimaced, but continued on their way despite the occasional salty wind gust.

"So, why did you want to go so badly anyway?" Julie asked innocently. Runo glanced at her while Tigrerra and Splight popped out on her shoulders. Gorem floated in front of Julie, making it easier for her to limp through the streets. She didn't have to worry about knocking Gorem to the ground if he floated in front of her.

"Drago didn't want me to go to Dan's house," Runo said quietly. "He was dead set against it from the very beginning. I just had a shouting match with him in Fabia's room, and he was very, very mad. I don't know what his problem is, but if I can get there just a little before him, then I might have a chance at finding out exactly what he wants me to stay away from."

Julie looked skeptical at this excuse. "Runo, remember the last time you did something like this?" Runo's jaw clenched. "You got trapped between dimensions!" Julie announced, even though she knew both of them were fully aware of the answer.

"Julie is right, Runo," Gorem agreed. "Drago has his reasons."

"Oh yeah? Well if it were something that could hurt me, I'm sure that he wouldn't be letting those police officers and Dan's mother snoop around the crime scene," Runo snapped. "Besides, if it were something dangerous, he would have told me rather than let me get this curious."

"You make a good point," Julie agreed slowly, " but I still think this is a bad idea..."

"Let her do what she wants," Gorem sighed. "If she's getting herself into trouble, it'll be a good lesson in the long run." The group fell silent once again, with the constant "click" of Julie's crutches the rhythmic noise they all focused on.

It took them about ten minutes to reach Dan's house on foot, even with Julie's walking limitation. When they arrived, they discovered that the whole yard was surrounded by crime tape, and there were two police cruisers sitting out front. Runo and Julie stopped short when they saw this, taking a moment to exchange nervous glances. Runo had no idea that the house would be wrapped in crime tape, and all of a sudden, it seemed strange that they actually had clearance.

The two girls hesitated on the perimeter of the tape for a few moments, unsure if they should wait for Drago after all. Runo, as per usual, was not one to be deterred for very long, and quickly erased all doubts from her mind. Her stubborn side took over, and she straightened up, striding over to the edge of the yellow tape.

Before her fingers could touch it, though, the door of the house opened. Both girls jumped in surprise, and they glanced guiltily toward the figure that now blocked it. Runo's embarrassed facade only lasted about three seconds, though, and she quickly straightened up, sending her challenging gaze in the direction of the door. A police officer stood there, and it was obvious that underneath his uniform, he concealed a toned upper body. His arms were thick with muscle, and his face was clean shaven. His brown hair was cropped close to his head and his dark brown eyes seemed dull. His skin was slightly darker in color than that of a certain boy that Runo hadn't seen since she was twelve. He had a grave yet surprised expression on his face as he strode out over the lawn.

"Can I help you two?" he asked, sounding tired. Runo blinked.

"Uh, yeah. We're part of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, and we're here to help your investigation on the disappearance of Dan Kuso," Runo recited, pulling out a badge Marucho had given them. Julie fumbled with her pocket, but managed to retrieve her own badge. The officer blinked in surprise, then looked at Runo more closely.

"Oh, I remember you! You were one of the brawlers that fought that Bakugan Naga, right?" he questioned. Runo and Julie exchanged startled glances. Usually, the adults didn't notice that. Only the kids knew who it was that fought the final battle. Most adults didn't even know what a Bakugan was, so the fact that this man used the words "Bakugan", "brawler," and "Naga" in the same sentence was a bit unsettling.

"Yes," Splight said slowly. "And who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Officer Jefferson Brown. I've been assigned to this case," he introduced himself, extending a hand. Runo took it, and then Julie did.

"I'm Julie Makimoto," Julie told him. He nodded.

"I'm Runo Misaki." Jefferson frowned at her, and she raised an eyebrow at him. "How did you know about the Bakugan?" she questioned. He ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm Joe Brown's father," he said shortly, turning toward the police cruiser. Runo and Julie's eyes widened, and both girls let out audible gasps.

"Really?" Runo exclaimed.

"No way!" Julie cried. Jefferson shot them a grin that looked more like a grimace.

"Yeah..."

"Dan never told me that Joe lived in town!" Julie grumbled. Jefferson shook his head in response and the girls made confused noises in the back of their throats.

"He doesn't. His mother has custody over him," Jefferson said shortly, his expression darkening slightly. "He still lives in Wardington with her." Runo wasn't sure if it was the light or his sadness that caused the sudden change in facial expression, but it made her stomach twist slightly. His face returned to normal again a moment later, though, and he glanced over Runo's shoulder. He nodded in greeting to whoever was coming up behind the two girls, and this action prompted them to turn to look.

Drago was leading Dr. Michael and Alice down the street at an easy pace, and Runo flashed Alice a smile. The red haired girl smiled warmly back at her, but when her eyes slid past the bluenette, her smile faded. It seemed that the caution tape was what confirmed their friend's predicament, and instilled a feeling of fear in all of them.

"Hello, Dr. Michael, is it?" Officer Jefferson said timidly. Dr. Michael nodded.

"That is correct," he responded politely. "And you are...?"

"I am Officer Jefferson Brown, the officer assigned to this case," Officer Jefferson repeated, extending a hand to the old man. He took it and the two easily shook, and that was when Runo noticed the bag that the old man had been pulling behind him. It looked almost like a small, metal suitcase, but Runo knew otherwise. Inside, it contained intricate instruments whose capabilities she could just barely understand. Their makeup would be more complex than anything she could possibly comprehend, but she did know that whatever was inside that rolling suitcase would lead her to her boyfriend, wherever he was.

"Let's get down to business, shall we? You brought the equipment?" Jefferson asked, apparently eyeing the same thing that Runo was. Alice nodded at the police officer.

"Yes, Sir," she confirmed. "He needs my help to operate it." Jefferson nodded, then glanced at Drago.

"Do you think you can lead these two inside?" he asked. "Just take them around the house, but_ don't touch anything_." Runo and Julie blinked in confusion.

"Wait a minute, why only Alice and Dr. Michael?" Runo asked. Alice hesitated for a moment, glancing from Runo to her grandfather to the authoritative officer in their midst. Dr. Michael didn't move either, confused. Jefferson waved them toward the house, clearly growing impatient.

"What about us?" Julie questioned as Drago floated across the caution tape and Dr. Michael and Alice ducked underneath. Runo was too confused at the moment to feel any anger, but she did feel a stab of irritation. Jefferson held up a finger and called after them as they crossed the yard.

"One of my colleagues is inside. He'll take you around and assist you as well as he can," he told them.

"Thank you!" Alice replied, shooting an apologetic look at Runo. She was peeved, and Alice winced, looking away. She didn't want to fall victim to Runo's anger, and yet, it pained her to leave her there. Runo was ignorant, and Alice was on her way to find answers. Alice could only imagine the conflicts running through the blue haired girl's mind as she lifted the heavy suitcase up the stairs on Dan's front porch.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Runo stormed once Alice had closed the door behind her. "We're here to help! Did Drago tell you not to let us..." Jefferson turned toward them, his eyes portraying his fatigue, and Runo fell silent. The dark circles under his eyes conveyed his lack of sleep, and now that she thought about it, Runo suspected that the man had been up ever since Dan disappeared, trying his best to solve the crime. Clearly, he was baffled. Dan had just vanished without a trace, and he couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"Come on girls," he sighed, suppressing a yawn. "How about I show you something that might help us find out more about what happened to Dan? We have to drive to get there." That caught the girls' attention, but before jumping at the opportunity for knowledge, they glanced at each other. Splight, Tigrerra, and Gorem all shifted to look at one another, surprised, then they looked up at their brawlers. Julie shrugged, and Runo turned back to Jefferson.

"Show me your badge, I.D., and drivers license, and I'll get in the car with you," Runo told him. Jefferson stared at her, but silently got out his wallet. He stared down at the brown leather item as he leafed through it, and Runo couldn't see his face. But when he looked up, he was smiling.

"Smart girl," he grinned, handing her the three items. She took them in one hand and glanced at them, confirming that his name was Jefferson Brown, and that he had been a police officer for ten years. He was thirty five years old. When she was satisfied, she nodded, then handed the items back to him. He smiled at her, then replaced the cards and badge. He returned his wallet to his pocket, then headed over to the car. The girls followed, and Runo opened the back door for Julie. The Sub-Terra brawler sat down with a grateful smile directed toward Runo, who flashed her a smile in return. Then, she started to get into the cruiser as well, but sat in the front seat when Jefferson beckoned her. She buckled herself in, and Jefferson pulled away from the curb.

The group was silent for about thirty seconds while the car smoothly glided down the street, but Runo's impatience got the better of her.

"So, are we going to the evidence locker or something at the police station?" Runo asked, peering sideways at Jefferson. He glanced at her and turned the corner, flipping down the visor above his head when the setting sun flashed in his eyes. Runo did the same, squinting.

"No," he said after a moment. Runo's eyebrows creased. "I actually wanted to get you away from the house." Runo could feel the word 'trap' rising to her lips, and when she glanced in the rearview mirror, she could see the apprehension reflected on Julie's face. Runo nibbled on the inside of her lip and placed her hand on the door handle at her side. Tigrerra and Splight both closed their balls and dropped down into Runo's lap, where her other hand closed around them. Jefferson detected her movements out of the corner of his eye and quickly backtracked.

"No, I'm not a bad guy," he assured them. "I work for the state. You saw my badge. I can be trusted, and if you don't believe me, I can call Joe up." Runo let her hands relax. Jefferson braked at a stoplight, and he turned his head to look at Runo. "We secured all evidence at the scene of the crime that could be potentially useful in our investigation," he began, "so, we have a lot of evidence. There was one item that we are particularly interested in, however, and we think that you might be a big help in confirming our suspicions." Runo was surprised and opened her mouth to say so, but Julie beat her to the punch.

"But we have had less contact with him than Shun and Marucho, and even Jake," she protested. "Why are you asking us for our opinion?" Jefferson jumped when a car horn let out a fierce tirade of honks, alerting him that the light had changed from red to green. He angrily honked back in reply, but proceeded through the intersection.

"There was a letter found when we investigated the house for the first time," he said to them. "It was addressed to Runo Misaki." Runo stared at him, her lips parted in surprise. He glanced at her, then back at the road as he pulled over in a parking lot. Jefferson put the vehicle in park as he continued to speak. "We decided not to open it until we had you here. We have some insight on the contents, but we suspect that some references made in the text might be intended specifically for you and therefore useless to us. So, now that you're here..." He pulled a clear evidence bag out of the glove compartment in front of Runo, and inside it, was a white envelope. He held it up, it's back to Runo. Her mouth fell open. On the back was indeed Dan's untidy handwriting. Her address was spelled correctly, and the format was perfect. All of the information was correct, and she had a suspicion that Dan had finally used a phone book.

She reached out her hand without even realizing it, longing to touch the one thing intended specifically for her by the one she loved so dearly, but Jefferson quickly yanked his hand back. Runo's face fell in disappointment at this sudden movement, and she scowled as she sat up.

"Do you promise to use all of the information you receive in this letter to benefit this case?" Jefferson questioned. Runo glared at him.

"If it is nothing that will help you, will you let me keep it?" she bartered. Jefferson watched her for a minute, taking in her slightly bloodshot eyes, her pink cheeks, and the stubborn gaze that kept him rooted to the spot. He realized that there would be no chance of getting her to read the letter, even though she was dying for information, if he didn't agree to let her keep it. He hesistated for a minute, Drago's warning ringing in his ears. _"Don't give the letter to Runo Misaki. She can't handle that information right now," _he had said_. "She's impulsive, and she loves Dan a lot, even though she's been hurt by him before. If you get her hopes up, she won't just sit by and let you take the opportunity away. She'll jump at it, just like Dan will."_

Runo's hand clenched the door handle as she watched him, hoping desperately that he would allow her to read the letter and keep it, too. She could only imagine what Dan could have written. Apologies for the countless days spent fearfully anticipating the news of his death, for leaving her without any explanations, or for the unlikelihood that he had bought an apartment for the two of them. She knew the last one was more than unlikely, but she couldn't help but hope. Dan was the world to her. If she couldn't get him back, she wasn't sure what she would do.

Jefferson finally sighed, giving in. Runo's eyes lit up, and she took the bag when he held it out to her.

"We've fingerprinted the envelope," he said, looking at her wearily as she tore open the evidence bag. "We haven't tampered with the letter itself yet, so if we could dust it-"

"Shush!" Runo snapped, having retrieved the envelope. Jefferson narrowed his eyes at her.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry," she replied automatically. The reflex hadn't hidden the rudeness of the apology. Years of talking back to teachers had embedded the response deep in her mind, and now, she didn't have to think about it at all. Her hands brushed over the paper lightly, and she regarded it nervously for a moment. She didn't know what was hidden inside the envelope. She only hoped it would contain helpful news. She quickly glanced back at Julie, who looked just as anxious as she was, and then slipped her fingers underneath the folded portion of the paper.

The seal separated from the lower flap, and Runo felt her stomach knot. Her fingers now acted on their own accord, disregarding Runo's apprehensiveness. She licked her lips as they closed around a thin sheet of folded paper nestled in the body of the envelope. Gingerly, she drew the letter out, and placed the envelope in her lap. Eagerly, she unfolded the paper, recognized Dan's untidy scrawl, and began to read.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay I'll end it here, and then I'll give you the next part in a little bit. I'm almost done, but this chapter was just WAY too long. It's about fifteen pages now, so I'll break it up a bit more. You'll get the letter next, don't worry! And by next, I mean within the next 24 hours. Give or take. Sorry about the long update, but I have been SO busy with school it's a nightmare. I only got to write about 3 nights this week, and most of that was when I was in the car, or at midnight. So... yeah... I'm sleep deprived. -_-<strong>

**Review!**


	13. Anguish

**"For all sad words of tongue and pen,**

**The saddest are these, "It might have been"," - John Greenleaf Whittier.**

**Recap:**

The seal separated from the lower flap, and Runo felt her stomach knot. Her fingers now acted on their own accord, disregarding their owner's apprehensiveness. She licked her lips as they closed around a thin sheet of folded paper nestled in the body of the envelope. Gingerly, she drew the letter out, and placed the envelope in her lap. Eagerly, she unfolded the paper, recognized Dan's untidy scrawl, and began to read.

_Dear Runo,_

_I guess it's been a while since I've written... or called... or sent you an email. I can't tell you how much I've missed you over the years. The last time I saw you had to be the day before I moved to Bayview. I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you that we were moving. I realized as soon as the plane took off that I was so wrong. I've regretted that decision for as long as I can remember. But then the war between Nethia and Gundalia took priority in my life, and my guilt somehow took a back seat. I wish that weren't the case, but sadly, it is._

Runo narrowed her eyes at the letter in confusion. What did he mean by that? Why did he use the word "is"?

_I remember the first time we met. We had been chatting online, remember? My mom came into the room and told me to go pick up... what was it, Loin Tips? _Runo couldn't help but smile at the memory, and at Dan's possibly unhealthy obsession with Loin Tips_. And you told me that your mom told you to go pick up some meat for your Liver Kabobs. We didn't know it at the time, and then, we just bumped into each other. And that was the beginning of something that was special._

_We've had our laughs and our romantic moments, especially when I got back from New Vestroia and went to hug you but you picked up Tigrerra instead. I know I was the one that said to never speak of it again, but you're the only one that will read this. When you got trapped in between dimensions and we were told that you might get stuck there, I felt like my heart had been ripped out. The thought of losing you was just too much. When Spectra grabbed you, I knew I couldn't let you get involved with any more of our troubles. It was just too much for me, and I knew that if you were close to me, you'd be used against me. I loved you so much, Runo. I can't let you get hurt._

_So, I'm going to tell you my three favorite things about you. First, I love it when you smile. Your eyes light up, and I just can't look away. It's like sunshine is just bathing me in that one gesture. It lights up rainy days. I remember I loved to stay at your house when it rained. Your dad would get so mad when you took me up to your room, but when Alice was visiting Julie, we'd have a blast! Remember that time when there was a thunderstorm and the power went out, and your mom got out all the candles and made us hide in the cellar? Classic! You and I were laughing so hard... I love your laugh. Your laugh is perfect and just beautiful... like wind chimes. Like you(that was number 2). _Runo smiled._ I'm still not sure if you're an angel or not, because let me tell you, your smile and laugh make you seem pretty angelic. All you're missing is a pair of wings..._

_Third, you don't care that I'm an idiot. Let's face it. I'm an idiot. But that's the only time you're going to hear me say it! Like, once, I let Kazarina trick me into looking her the eye. Kazarina was one of the baddies on Gundalia, and she has this hypnotizing power, and the Gundalians managed to capture me. So, when I was in my cell, I was demanding her to let me out even though I knew there was no chance, and she tricked me. Thankfully, Jake was able to snap me out of it, but let me tell you, not a pleasant experience. Don't let her trick you, if you ever meet her. It's unlikely, though, since Fabia and Mason told me that she was dead. (If you were confused by the above statement, please ask Shun or Marucho to clarify). _She reached the end of the page and frowned at Dan's instruction. "Huh...?" she murmured, flipping the letter over. Wouldn't he have be able to tell her?

_But hopefully, you won't ever have to worry about something like that ever again. You see, I've given a lot of thought to our relationship while I was fighting on Nethia(again, sorry I didn't tell you. If you need details, ask Shun). I've decided that it might be time to move on. Runo felt her heart stop. Let's face it. This isn't working out. I live half a world away from you. A long distance relationship seemed cute at first, but now..._

_Runo, it pains me to write this, but I have to. I want us to stay together, but we just can't. If we let ourselves be burdened by what clearly can't be, how will we be able to live fully? I want to grow up and have a wife, and maybe a few kids. But we can't be together. It's just impossible at this point._

_I hope I let you down easy. As much as I would have liked to keep beating around the bush, I thought it would have been easier to just get to the point already. Besides, it's eleven o'clock at night right now. I bet you've already forgotten about me, Runo, but if you do care about me, look at it this way. It just wasn't meant to be._

_Daniel Kuso_

Runo stared at the piece of paper, holding it like it was a fragile papyrus scroll. Her eyes were locked on the curved letter K at the beginning of his last name, gazing without really seeing. She was paralyzed by shock. Her mouth had dropped open, and it took her a moment until the reality of the sheet of paper sunk in.

The first thought that reached her brain was, oddly enough, of the baseball game where he'd first teased her. They'd been kids then, with no knowledge of real pain and suffering. They hadn't known that day, cards would fall, and their paths would be intertwined by fate. They had been ignorant to the harsh reality of the world in which they lived, and of trials that would one day await them. Runo remembered his nickname for her, "Kid", and briefly decided that he could have done better. He could have called her "Cotton Candy" or "Blueberry" like all the other kids her age. But no. He chose to settle for "Kid", the simplest of all the labels he could have pinned her with. What she would have given to go back to that day, when she was hopelessly ignorant and everything was, in her current state of mind, perfect.

The next one that stabbed her was of their first date, just after the Bakugan had left. He had seemed so relaxed then. So carefree. So fun-loving. Even though they had all been combatting the sadness of the departure of their Bakugan friends, they somehow found happiness. They had been the first of many to recover. And it was on that first date that they shared their first kiss, in the very place that they had begun to grow apart. When Dan was called by Drago to save his race, it had been exactly two years since that first kiss, in the very same place in the very same park.

Runo had succumbed to the savage sting of tears a few seconds before, and Julie looked at her, concerned. "What is it...?" she whispered. Runo sniffed, shaking her head.

"I- I just- just need a little bit of air," she stammered, fumbling with the handle of the door. Jefferson licked his lips, deciding that he had made a mistake, as he began to reach for the handle on his door as well. Runo pushed the door open and unbuckled, then stumbled out of the car. Julie grabbed at her crutches, and then Runo's door slammed shut. Julie grimaced, and when she looked back out the passenger side window, she noticed the tears coursing down her best friend's face.

Quickly, she reached for the handle on the door, but Jefferson had already beaten her to it. He had already gotten outside the police car and was coming around the hood to confront Runo, but Runo took one look at him through her tear-filled gaze and took a few steps back. Splight and Tigrerra floated near her, looking at her in concern.

"Runo, I'm so sorry," he said, sounding genuinely concerned. "Drago warned me-"

"Drago?" she snarled, and the pure venom in her voice made him stop short in his tracks. "Drago knew? Drago knew that Dan was going- was going to-"

"I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"SHUT UP!" Runo screamed, closing her eyes and bowing her head. "Shut up!" He took a step toward her and her head snapped back up, revealing her rage filled, agonized eyes. "Stay away from me!" she shrieked, holding the letter to her breast. "Stay away!" Jefferson hesitated, and she took several steps back. Julie grabbed the door handle and a crutch, trying to force the door open, but at that exact moment, a police car pulled up beside Jefferson's. The three of them glanced toward it, surprised, and while they were momentarily distracted, Runo turned on the spot. She began to sprint on the opposite direction, her tears glinting in the light of the sun that still hung in the sky like a radiant apricot.

"Jefferson, there was no luck at the house!" an officer reported as he rolled down his window, and Jefferson turned angrily toward him. "Dr. Michael couldn't... What's going on?"

"I gave her the letter," Jefferson said bluntly. Drago, who was floating in the backseat with Dr. Michael and Alice, came into Jefferson's line of vision.

"You did _what_?" he demanded. Jefferson shot him a glare. "Didn't I tell you not to do that? You fool!" His anger had caused him to lapse back into his former style of speech.

"I was hoping she might be able to give us some more answers!" Jefferson fired back. "But it doesn't matter now! Come on, we have to hurry and catch her!"

Drago would have liked to say a number of things to the police officer, but the phrase that came out of his mouth was simply,"Now you've done it,"as Jefferson swung himself back into his car.

Runo was already at the end of the street, and wasn't even close to tiring. Her sadness and emotional tumult was rendering her impervious to all physical discomfort. To all distracting sensations. Her pounding footsteps reached her ears, as well as Splight and Tigrerra's cries for her to stop, but the only thing she was fully conscious of was the sheet of paper in her hand. Her fingers burned where they met the material, and she longed to drop it before they were seared off, but at the same time, she dreaded relinquishing the page. It contained Dan's thoughts, his emotions, but it also hid a pain that threatened to engulf her very being, to swallow her consciousness. If she gave in, she would never wake up. Or at least, that's what it seemed like.

She turned a corner without being aware of where her feet were taking her. She flew down the street like fire was her pursuer. Her hair flew out behind her like ribbons in the wind, and before she knew it, her hair bands had come loose. It wasn't like she had tied them tightly to begin with, but suddenly, her hair was free, bouncing up whenever she pushed off the ground.

Behind her, she was dimly aware of the car honks, but she was deaf to everything but her own body. The road before her, bathed in the fleeting twilight, was of no concern to her. Her bangs waved in front of her eyes, but she didn't care until they began to stick to the liquid on her cheeks. Her jeans were restricting the movement of her legs, but it made little difference. She felt the resistance, but didn't acknowledge it. Her feet stung in her boots from the running, and her throat seared for water.

And then, she was skidding across the ground. Her foot had dragged against the ground, and she tripped. She let out a yelp and then a whimper as her already battered arms bounced along the ground with her torso and legs, and her white jeans were stained with dirt. Her back gently came into contact with the stone wall lining the bridge she had arrived at, and she sobbed. The pain from the fall was nothing compared to the misery burning within her like acid. She could feel her insides dying, could feel her heart shatter. Dan had decided to end it with her, and hadn't even had the decency to say it to her face.

Runo forced herself into a sitting position, brought her knees to her chest and covered her face with her arms. Her shoulders shook. Her nose ran and her hot tears soaked her sleeves. They cooled seconds later, bringing with them an unpleasant chill upon her bruised and bandaged arms. The gauze pad tapped to her cheek had come loose, and now it peeled away from her skin. The tears that evaded her sleeves stung the open wound there, and blood began to drip down her chin.

A car door slammed somewhere in the vicinity, and running footsteps met her ears. Runo refused to look up and just hugged herself tighter, gasping between sobs. Another door slammed and, seconds later, crutches made their way in Runo's direction. High heeled, running footsteps also hurried toward her, and then arms were wrapped around Runo's shoulders. She whimpered.

"Runo, what's wrong?" came Alice's soft, kinda voice. Her sentence was soaked in concern and pity, and Runo could tell she knew. The officer must have told her. If it wasn't the officer, then Drago, and it was precisely that factor that made Runo shy away. She scooted out of Alice's embrace, but kept her head tucked between her arms. Alice let her hands fall to her sides, watching Runo, confused. "Runo... we can help-"

"No, you can't," Runo whimpered. Her voice was so broken that Alice felt her heart constrict. "You can't... he..." Runo's fingers pressed the letter between them forcefully, and Julie glanced at it. She burned with curiosity, was dying to learn what secrets the letter contained. Runo's sadness, though, snuffed all that out. Julie wanted nothing more than to console the poor girl. She leaned forward, lowering herself from the two metal crutches, when Runo's cracked voice came again.

"Go away," she begged.

"Runo-" Julie started, but Runo's head snapped up to challenge her. Julie's eyes widened in surprise. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks pink and streaked with shimmering tears. Her glassy orbs were wide, and she sniffed as her eyebrows came together in an expression of pure hatred and hurt. Drago hung back, feeling very, very angry that he had let her come along. Julie began to lower herself toward her.

"Don't you _dare_!" she hissed, and Julie froze. The tears continued to flow, and a gentle breeze lifted the hair of the three girls. The salty air caressed their faces, and Runo's cheeks were chilled. She stared at Julie with her hostile glower, just inviting her to take another step forward. Julie hesitated, rooted to the spot. Hostility pulsed from Runo's body into the air around the girls, and the officers, who were in their cars, watched nervously from a distance. Dr. Michael had gotten out of the car and was glancing around through a pair of black glasses, looking confused and oblivious to the predicament taking place nearby.

"He's cheating on me, isn't he?" she choked, bowing her head again. Julie and Alice stared at her in shock, then glanced at each other. Julie straightened up, her lips parted, and began to question the girl with the shattered heart.

"Who? Dan? Runo, why would he-"

"He's cheating on me with you, isn't he, Julie?" she demanded, the tears rolling down like raindrops down a window. Julie was at a loss for words, and very clearly showed it. Alice's eyes flicked back and forth from one girl to the other, horrified. It wasn't until Runo buried her head in her arms again that Julie found her voice.

"Why would you even suggest that?" Julie whispered hoarsly. "I'm your best friend! I know where the boundaries are, Runo!"

"Really?" Runo demanded, looking up at her again. "Is that true, Julie? Because if it were true, then why would he- would he-" She couldn't finish the sentence, and bowed her head once more. Julie and Alice watched her, stunned, and Julie's cheeks began to rise in color.

"Runo, I am your _best friend_," Julie emphasized, her eyes wide. A gust of wind blew their hair to the side again, but none of them noticed, nor cared. "Why the _hell_ would you even begin to _think_ that I'm helping your boyfriend cheat on you?" Her stomach clenched when she said "boyfriend". Jefferson had told her about what the letter said.

"Oh, I don't know," Runo snarled, shooting to her feet. "Maybe because you were infatuated with him when we all first met?"

"I was _twelve_!" Julie shrieked, her cheeks pink. "I was not infatuated! And he likes you! And in case you happen to be blind_ and_ deaf, I am dating _Billy_!" Runo could feel the color rising to her cheeks, too.

"Oh yeah? How do I know he didn't break up with you ages ago because he finally realized how much of a pink-obsessed freak you are?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Runo regretted them. If she could have snatched them back, she would have. But once the words were free, released into the unforgiving void between ears, she couldn't take them back.

Julie recoiled like she had been dealt a slap in the face. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and she had to swing the crutches back a bit to keep from falling. Her lips were parted, and her appalled stare was locked on Runo. Alice couldn't believe her ears, and she gaped at Runo with such a disproving expression that she felt the guilt slice her like a knife. It temporarily overpowered the pain of Dan's betrayal of her heart, and she took a tentative step toward the silver-haired girl.

"Julie," she whispered. "Julie, I'm so-"

"Shut up..." Julie hissed. "Just shut up!"

"Julie, I never meant-"

"Oh, are you sure you never meant it, Runo?" Julie demanded. Dr. Michael and the cops stared, open mouthed, at the scene unfolding before them. "It sure sounded like you meant it to me!"

"Julie, no, I was just-"

"Just what, Runo, what?" Julie challenged, her eyes gleaming. "Are you going to tell me that you were just too upset by whatever you read in that letter to care about how your so-called "best friend" reacts to your words? Or is all the so-called 'stress' of your boyfriend being missing driving you over the edge? Oh wait a minute! You don't _have_ a boyfriend anymore, do you?" Runo's tears were spilling down her cheeks with renowned vigor, and she was desperately struggling to keep from breaking down, but Julie wasn't done yet.

"Forget it, Runo!" Julie snarled. "Dan's kidnapping is hard on me, too! And if you think that I'm just going to let me kick you around like you just did, think again! Runo, I've put up with your yelling and your short-temper for years! I've helped you through your relationship with Dan, which has obviously gone down the toilet, and I have been there by your side from the very beginning! If this is how you're going to repay me, then I don't want anything to do with you anymore! Get lost, I don't ever want to see your face again!" Julie's angered gaze softened the tiniest bit at the conclusion of the statement, but Runo, through her blurred eyesight, couldn't see that.

She bit her lip, sniffing, and pressed Dan's letter to her chest. "J-Julie, I'm..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the statement, and instead, took off running down the street, towards the ocean.

"Runo!" Alice cried. She hesitated, torn between Julie and Runo. Both girls were dear to her, and both of them obviously hated each other now. Their friendship had been tested in the past, Alice knew, but never like this. They had never gotten so mad at each other before, and the had never run away from each other crying. It seemed as though Dan's disappearance was placing a greater strain on their bonds as friends, and Alice dreaded what the future would bring if they didn't find Dan soon.

In the end, she decided to stay here, with Julie. Runo had been wrong to react in such a way, even though Dan must have permanently fractured her heart. Alice felt very upset about the fact that she was just letting her run away and hide, but she kept telling herself that it was for the best. Runo had no more links to Dan any more. She would be safe now anyway. But something in her gut told her she was wrong.

Julie had let a few of her tears slip through her eyelids and down her cheeks, but now, she angrily brushed them away, smudging her mascara. Runo hadn't been wearing any makeup, but Julie, bing a typical teenage girl, always had a spare tube of eyeliner and mascara on her person. It was that, along with a pocket mirror, that Julie now drew out, and in the light of the setting sun, easily reapplied the makeup.

A minute and thirty seconds later, it appeared that Julie had not had any sort of clash with Runo at all. She looked the same as she had ten minutes before, and when Dr. Michael called out to the two girls, she strutted over as if nothing had happened at all. As if Runo had not even existed.

"Alice, I need you to take a look at this," Dr. Michael requested urgently. Alice forced the mixed emotions from the fight and Julie's lack of response to it out of her mind with some difficulty, and turned toward her grandfather. He had removed the black glasses, but seemed to be quite puzzled, and worried.

"What is it Grandfather?" she questioned, coming over to his side. He looked down at the goggles, then handed them to her.

"I need you to confirm something. It looks almost like there is a dimensional trail emanating from this location," he said quietly. Julie, who had been standing nearby, jumped at this news, and stared at him, transfixed.

"Really?" she squealed. Alice's jaw dropped, and Dr. Michael forced the goggles into her hands. She quickly secured the goggles to her head, taking in the misty green haze that had settled over the bridge. She instantly recognized it and began turning from right to left to see if she could make out the source of the mist: the area where it was most concentrated.

Hydranoid popped open on her shoulder, along with another Darkus Bakugan, Darkus Merlix. Alice wasn't keen to battle, but the others had insisted that she adopt another Bakugan partner. They had done the same to Julie, but she was still looking.

"What do you see?" Merlix asked. Alice turned from side to side, trying her hardest to discern where the Gate had opened.

"The signal is so clouded..." she mumbled, turning again. "It doesn't make any sense... Grandfather, we might be here for a while."

"I understand, Alice," he said quietly, opening the metal suitcase.

"Call the others," Alice told Julie, remembering that she had to keep their fight from her mind. They finally had a lead. "Tell them we've got something."

* * *

><p>Runo didn't stop running until she reached the beach, and even then, she didn't stop right away. Splight and Tigrerra were struggling to keep up, and, when Runo sank to her knees in the wet sand, bounced onto the wet, cold ground of the shore in exhaustion. Runo peeled off her navy sweatshirt and dropped it to the side, proceeding to bury her blotchy red face in her arms again. She was breathing hard from her run, and it didn't help that her chest heaved with sobs every few seconds. She sniffed, her fingers wrinkling the paper of the letter as the wind fought to snatch it form her. The sounds of her catching her breath over the course of five minutes were lost to the roar of the sea, but Tigrerra's words of concern were just loud enough to be heard.<p>

"Oh Runo..." Tigrerra murmured.

Runo cried out and bawled loudly, unable to take this pain. She had lost everything in just a few short minutes, it seemed. Dan no longer loved her, Julie hated her, and Alice hadn't stood up for her. Her bonds of friendship had finally been broken. Since Dan had disappeared, it seemed they hadn't had much of a chance. She and Julie had gotten into some sort of argument every day, and Runo would even snap at Alice, who would reply with some true yet harsh reality that made Runo back off and apologize. Runo would snarl at Shun who ignored her, and Runo kept carefully clear of Marucho. Something told her he wouldn't hold up to much scrutiny. When Runo saw Mira in the halls the two girls would snap at each other. This whole ordeal had been hardest on Runo, but she only expressed that through her anger and unusually short temper.

Part of Runo wanted them to sympathize with her. She wanted them to understand just how much melancholy she felt. She willed them to comprehend what she had had to endure all these years, and yet, at the same time, she knew she deserved it. Once again, her stubborn nature had dealt her a poor hand. She had been downright nasty to just about everyone around her since Dan disappeared, and had never apologized for it. She simply mouthed off to everyone she felt like, and they put up with it out of pity for her.

Now, Runo had gone too far, and she knew it. There would be no chance at winning Julie back. No chance at begging Alice for forgiveness. No chance at returning to her friends. If she begged at their feet for their absolution, she had little hope of ever getting it back.

A few silent moments passed, and Runo's fingers relaxed their grip on the letter ever so slightly. A gust of wind tore through the coast at just the right moment and it snatched the paper away, lifting it high into the air. Runo didn't look up as it danced off into the seemingly eternal sunset. The burning in her fingers had stopped, and then, she slumped to the side. Blissful unknowing engulfed her, relieving her, for the time being, of her guilt, shock, and despair.

**Yeah... Not a happy chapter... Sorry about Runo seeming a bit OOC. I tried to give reason to that here. She's just so agonized by Dan's kidnapping that she can't control herself... Yeah... Please don't hate me for this!**

**Okay, I NEED to know what you thought, or I will keel over from ignorance. Therefore...**

**~~Review~~**


	14. The Savage Sting of Tears

**"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing," ~Anais Nin**

* * *

><p>The blue haired girl kept her head bowed as she wove effortlessly through the crowd of tourists clogging the airport. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the straps of her backpack, and her skin there was numb. A pair of dark sunglasses rested over her eyes, hiding them from any possibly threatening onlooker. Her easily recognizable hair was tucked underneath her white and black hoodie with wings printed on the back, with the exception of her bright blue bangs, which was enough to give her away anyway. A white gauze pad had been replaced over the wound on her cheek, and the white ring of gauze on her forehead had also been changed. Her bangs masked it effectively enough, though, and it was invisible at first glance.<p>

Two immobile white marbles rested in the pockets of her sweatshirt, still and silent. Her Baku-Colar was hidden underneath her sweatshirt sleeve, and the attribute pendant Mira had given her was tucked safely beneath her shirt. Her identity as a Brawler was concealed to the best of her ability, the surging amount of people around her was oblivious to her presence, and hopefully, she was invisible to the security cameras, too. She had already made it through security with no problem, and now she was making her way, silent and unnoticed, through the labyrinth of corridors toward her departure gate.

Runo lifted her head to gaze at the large sign at the top of the terminal, searching for Gate 21. The letters and numbers on the sign showed through the dark blue background with the help of white lighting, and Runo easily found her desired destination. The arrow beside it pointed forward, and Runo decided to proceed in that direction. Her plane would begin boarding in ten minutes, so she knew she had to get there quickly.

She arrived at the gate with a few minutes to spare, and after she looked around, she sank into a seat that stood in front of a large glass window. It made up the whole wall, and dulled the bright orange light of the rising sun. Runo removed her backpack, letting it fall against the seat to her left. She bowed her head, closing her stinging eyes, and forced the sadness down again as it threatened to engulf her. She was only able to sit for a few seconds, though, and soon found that the powerful wave of emotions too forceful for her to endure. She stood up again, swinging the backpack once more over her shoulder, and began to pace. The movement of her limbs seemed to be the only thing keeping her emotions at bay.

Runo had fallen asleep on the beach that evening for about two hours before waking up with stinging, puffy red eyes, and pale yet bruised arms with goosebumps everywhere. She had been so wracked with grief and exhaustion that she just cried herself to sleep right there on the sand, despite the salty sea breeze that had chilled her to her core. When she came to, she had been frozen, lost, and tormented. Tigrerra and Splight had been her only anchors. Their presence was the only thing that kept her sane. It had been Tigrerra's idea to get her away from the pressures of the events unfolding around her, but it was Runo that decided on the extreme measure of running away.

Runo had quickly returned to Marucho's house and, under the assurance that no one was in the room she shared with Julie, gathered her things. She made sure that she had her wallet, which contained a thousand dollars of emergency money, courtesy of her overprotective father. She had thrown together a few of her clean outfits and the gift that Mira had brought her, a cape not unlike her own, her laptop, and her diary. She had changed her clothes and tucked them into her backpack, and quickly left the house. She didn't care if Julie noticed she had taken her things, but guessed that she wouldn't. Runo had kept her backpack and clothes in the closet, hidden from sight.

She spent the rest of that evening in a motel with wi-fi, and she booked a last minute seven o'clock AM flight to Japan online. She told her parents that she would be coming home the next day over the phone, but refused to tell them why. In order to avoid that particular situation, she had just left a message on their answering machine. She received many messages in return that started with mild confusion, but now was beginning to border hysteria. Runo didn't care if they called her friends, because even if they did, they wouldn't be able to stop her. She'd be on board the plane in a few minutes anyway.

Runo now paced anxiously before the large window, her backpack occasionally thumping against her back. She kept her head bowed. She didn't trust herself to make eye contact with anyone. Runo knew she wouldn't be able to handle scrutiny right now, on top of everything else that was going on.

"Flight twenty one for Wardington, Japan, is now boarding," the smooth, feminine voice of the flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker. Runo slowed in her pacing with the intent of catching the end of her sentence. "First and business classes are now boarding." The flight attendant repeated the message in Japanese, and then in Spanish, and Runo continued to hold back the unrelenting waters of her heartache by resorting to movement.

Very few people rose from their seats to board the plane, Runo couldn't help but notice. Only about five people got to their feet, and she noticed the eerie desolation of the boarding area. Runo paused to make sure she was seeing correctly. Only about twenty more people remained seated, and all of them were gathering up their carry-on bags. One boy with messy, light brown hair had his head bowed as he searched for something in his bag, and he sat a few seats apart from everyone else. Runo guessed he was searching for his boarding pass. She clutched her own between the sweaty fingers of her right hand, and her fingers now tightened around it.

She wasn't aware that she had resumed her pacing until the flight attendant called out, "Second and third class are now boarding," and she twisted her ankle in surprise. She gasped, stumbling to the right, and right into a lean body that was set to catch her.

Runo felt warm fingers wrap around her arm as she leaned against this body, trying to regain her balance. A piece of paper brushed against her arm, but she quickly righted herself. Her head snapped up, her eyes thirty for a glimpse of her rescuer.

The first things she noticed were the steely navy eyes that sat in the center of his face. They burned into her own shielded emerald orbs despite the look of surprise etched upon his face. His tanned skin and masculine features registered next, along with his untidy light brown hair. His lips were slightly parted, adding to his startled expression. He was wearing a white jacket, but it was unzipped at his neck, revealing his turtleneck blue shirt. A black North Face backpack rested over his right shoulder.

Runo stared at him in surprise, and she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Before she knew what she was doing, she had taken a step back from him, keeping her head bowed in an effort to preserve the mystery of her identity. His arms lowered back to his sides, and Runo could see the boarding pass in his hand. He was wearing blue jeans, held up by a brown belt. Attached to the belt was a chain that reminded Runo of Dan's Resistance outfit, and the hysteria began to build up again.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned, and Runo felt something stir inside of her. He sounded familiar...

"Yeah. Thanks," she mumbled, and made to push past him toward the check-in line. Her left shoulder brushed against his, and his hand closed around her left wrist. She stopped abruptly, stiffening, at his warm, tender touch. He turned in her direction, but she refused to meet his gaze. Instead, she looked away and stared at the ground, irritation flying off her like sparks.

"Wait a minute, I know you," the teen sounded surprised and joyful. Runo's fists clenched. "You're hair kinda gives you away, Runo."

"Who are you?" Runo rasped, sounding dejected. She continued to avert her gaze, even when the boy took her other wrist in his hands and turned her toward him.

"Runo, come on, you remember me, don't you?" the boy asked her. Runo's jaw clenched and she started to pull her hands away, but the boy's grip on her tightened. "Come on, it's me."

"Lots of people go by "me"," Runo said icily. The boy seemed taken aback by her retort and blinked, but she didn't look up. "I don't know who you are. Let me go," she whispered hoarsely, pulling against him again, but he didn't relinquish his hold on her hands.

"Its me, Joe Brown," he said quietly, and she froze. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, but she didn't lift her head. Her throat constricted, and she felt her eyes burn again. Memories assaulted her of their war against Naga, and almost all of them contained the one that had impaled her heart with this poison-tipped stake. Joe noticed her silence and interpreted it as shock, and he chuckled. "Bet you didn't expect to see me here-"

"I'm sorry," she choked, ripping her hands from his grip. She pushed past him forcefully, startling him, and he stumbled to the side. Keeping her head tilted downward, she grimaced, and her tears slipped through her eyelids. Her white teeth showed as she gasped several deep breaths. She struggled to get a grip on her emotions as she stepped up to the check-in desk, holding out her boarding pass. Within seconds it had been scanned and handed back to her, and she wasted no time in hurrying into the corridor that connected the plane to the building. She didn't even linger long enough to hear the employee wish her a good flight.

She found her seat easily enough, but barely acknowledged that it was set apart from all of the other passengers. The plane was large, so most of the seats were unoccupied. Hers just happened to be six rows behind everyone else and three rows in front of the very back of the plane. Everyone else preferred to be as close to the front as possible.

She swung her backpack off of her back and placed it at her feet, then sank into the seat against the window. Her emotions were so riled up at the moment that the slightest confrontation on their behalf made Runo begin to bawl once more. Runo closed her eyes, slumping down as she felt the tears stab her. She had begun to get used to the feeling of painful saltwater spilling over her eyelids, but she never would adjust to the black void within her heart where Dan's love used to reside. She sniffed, removing her sunglasses to wipe her eyes. She grimaced as the light burned her, even though the window shade was closed in her seat. Runo quickly ran her sweatshirt sleeve over her puffy, irritated eyes, and forced the glasses back onto her face.

Tigrerra and Splight rolled out of Runo's sweatshirt pocket and popped out of their balls. They looked up at her, taking in the crystal beads suspended beneath her chin. Tigrerra felt an intense wave of sadness and pity rise up inside of her at the sight of her good friend in such pain, especially because it was due to Runo's own actions. She longed to ease her despair in any way that she could, and the worst part about this situation for Tigrerra was that she couldn't do that. Even though she was no longer Runo's brawling partner, she felt as though, in some similar aspect, she had failed.

Splight watched his mistress with a gloomy air about himself. He, like Tigrerra, wanted nothing more than to console his partner. Seeing Runo put up with Dan's harsh words the way she was made him unbelievably angry at Dan, and the force of his anger shocked even himself. How could someone possibly crush the fragile, tender gift of love between their fingers the way Dan did? Where inside a person could such cruelty possibly be found? And even though Runo had assured him that Dan was one of the most gentle people you could meet when he wasn't fighting for the good of the innocent, Splight couldn't help but question Dan's true nature.

"Runo?" Runo didn't acknowledge the voice, nor the body that claimed the seat beside her. She continued to stare unseeingly at the seat in front of her. She didn't blink or swallow, or even change the quiet rhythm of her breathing.

Joe lifted a hand, wanting to place it on her shoulder to get her attention, but the memory of their recent encounter had not yet left his mind. He let his hand fall back to his lap and instead of pressing her for information, he just watched her for a moment. He observed the sparkling pearls of liquid course down her face from beneath her sunglasses, and realized that her cheeks were bright pink. The tears were caught in the bandage on her He detected a small movement upon her person and his eyes flicked to make sense of it. Her fingers had tightened into fists, and Joe nibbled on his lower lip.

"Runo, I'm sorry if I upset you," he said softly, not wanting to disturb her more than he already had. "What's wrong?" Runo pursed her lips and shook her head, making small noises in the back of her throat. Joe looked at her sympathetically, but worriedly. "Maybe I can help you?" She mumbled something in reply to that suggestion, but Joe didn't catch it. "I'm sorry?"

"No one can help me," she breathed. An announcement from the pilot came through the speakers throughout the plane, but neither Joe nor Runo payed attention. Joe did, however, take the opportunity to fasten his seatbelt, and because Runo wasn't moving, did the same for her. It was loose around her waist and he tightened it with ease, but received no response.

"Don't talk like that," Joe told her. "I promise I'll help you to the best of my ability, Runo."

"I don't believe you," she whispered after a moment of silence, and the plane lurched. Joe watched her silently, trying to think of some other way to persuade the miserable girl into confiding in him. The flight attendant got up in the middle of the isle then and started calling out about how to use the seat belts and what to do in case of an emergency landing. Joe only took his eyes off of Runo to glance at the flight attendant every so often, but Runo never lifted her puffy pink eyes. In fact, she never opened them.

By the time the flight attendant had finished her speech and taken her seat, the plane was ready and waiting at one end of the runway. Joe quickly shut off his cell phone and Kindle, then turned back to Runo. He opened his mouth to speak, but realized that the tears had stopped flowing down her cheeks. He closed his mouth, and his eyes picked up a small movement below her neck. That was when he perceived the rhythmic motion of her chest rising and falling gently. He blinked, and couldn't stop his hand.

He reached forward tentatively, and his fingers brushed the black plastic material. Runo didn't stir, and they hooked around them. He gently pulled, and they came off, revealing that Runo's eyes were closed. He looked at her for a moment, taking in the dark circles beneath her eyes and the red rims on her eyelids. He sighed, closing his eyes, as he folded the glasses in his lap.

The plane took off within the next few moments, and when the plane reached 10000 feet, Joe once again took out his Kindle, and his iPod. As he nested the earbuds in his ears, he glanced down at Runo's lap, where her hands rested. It was then that he noticed Tigrerra and Splight peering up at him, and his finger paused just above the "Play" button on his iPod. He stared at them for a moment, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

"My goodness, is that really you, Joe?" Tigrerra exclaimed, looking up at him. Joe blinked, then his face brightened.

"Tigrerra! Oh wow, this is amazing!" he marveled despite the irritating pressure control of the cabin. "I never thought that I'd see you again!"

"And I as well, Joe," Tigrerra greeted. Joe reached his hands toward Runo's lap, inviting the two Bakugan to jump into them, and they did. He raised his hands up in front of him and smiled at the two of them.

"So who's this?" Joe asked, referring to Splight. Splight shifted in his hand.

"My name is Haos Splight. I am Runo's current guardian Bakugan," Splight nodded to Joe respectfully. Joe blinked at him, but smiled in response.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Joe Brown. I'm a member of the original Bakugan Battle Brawlers," he grinned. A moment later his face fell. "Although, I guess I'm not considered to be one anymore."

"What do you mean?" Tigrerra questioned. "You've been a Brawler ever since Dan challenged you to a battle in that hospital." Joe smiled at her bitterly.

"Thank you for saying that, but I know it's not true. If I were truly a Brawler, I'm sure that I would have also been notified about Dan's disappearance." Tigrerra and Splight exchanged nervous glances.

"How did you-" Splight began to ask, but the flight attendant interrupted him.

"Would you like a beverage young man?" she asked. Joe glanced at her, taking in the large cart she was wheeling down the isle.

"Just a glass of Sprite, please."

"With or without ice?"

"With ice, please." The flight attendant quickly poured the drink on top of several ice cubes, then handed it to Joe. He smiled his thanks, and she grinned back at him. Then, she pushed the cart back into place in the back of the plane, and Joe turned back to the two Bakugan.

"I came out here to visit my father," he said. "My parents are divorced, and my mom lives in Wardington, but my father moved to Bayview. I only get to see him every few months, and I figured I'd come out now and give him a surprise. I went to see him last night, but the house was empty and he told me over the phone that he was in the middle of an investigation. I asked if he'd be home soon, and he told me that it was unlikely. He told me that Dan was missing and that his friends thought that he had been kidnapped, and I was a bit surprised."

"If you found out, then why didn't you go to the Headquarters for the Battle Brawlers?" Tigrerra questioned. Joe looked at her as he took a sip of his drink.

"I figured that if you guys hadn't decided to tell me in the first place, I wasn't welcome. Or there was a specific reason you were leaving me out. I didn't want to upset that."

"Joe, you're always welcome," Tigrerra told him, her arms twitching to illustrate her point. Joe sighed.

"Look, its not important okay? My dad told me I couldn't see him, so I decided to get the first flight back and surprise my mom. It wasn't that hard, but when I saw Runo so upset, I knew it had to do with Dan. I just wasn't sure exactly what, and I wanted to help. I think I made things worse..."

"No, you were doing the right thing," Tigrerra assured him. "Runo's just very... upset." Joe glanced over at the girl doubtfully. Her eyes were closed, her body had slumped over to one side, and her mouth was slightly open. Her cheeks were still damp from her tears, but the bandage on her cheek was still sticking to her face. Joe turned back to Tigrerra.

"Maybe you'd better fill me in?" he suggested. Splight and said Haos Bakugan exchanged nervous glances, but Joe kept a straight face. "Look at her. What happened to her face, first of all? And why is she so messed up?" After a few more minutes of questioning, the two Haos Bakugan gave in, and spent the next hour explaining to Joe, in detail, what happened ever since Drago returned from New Vestroia as the Perfect Dragonoid. By the time they had gotten to the point about the letter, Joe had to call for a new glass of Sprite because he was parched from all the times he interrupted the two Bakugan to clarify something. It took another five minutes to finish the tale, and when they fell silent, Joe watched the steady rise and fall of Runo's chest with a pitying expression on his face.

"I had no idea that Dan would do something like that to her," he said softly after a few minutes of silence. He sighed, shaking his head. "And she just yelled at Julie?"

"Worse than yelled," Splight sighed. "She was really nasty. She called her a freak..." Joe's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He stared at Splight in surprise, unable to believe this. Even though he and Runo had never been close, he knew that her friendship with Julie and Alice had been one of the most important things to her. Only her friendship with Dan and Tigrerra had topped it. The fact that she had gone and been downright nasty must mean that Dan hurt her more than he intended-or speculated.

"Runo said that?" Joe exclaimed softly, glancing back at the pale skinned, battered girl. She was still, and he sighed again.

No one continued the conversation, and after a few minutes, Joe replaced the earbuds in his ears.

He listened to Trans-Siberian Orchestra for about a half hour before falling asleep, losing himself in his own dreams.

* * *

><p>"Anubias, what are you doing?" a pale, almost purple skinned teenager asked. Anubias looked up, peering through the shaggy bangs that hid most of his pale, human forehead, irritated that his thoughts had been interrupted. Standing before him was none other than his partner in crime and rival Bakugan brawler, Sellon. He couldn't help but feel sparks of annoyance springing to life inside him at her interruption. Did she have to bother him whenever he was thinking?<p>

"What do you want, Sellon?" he grumbled, gloomy as usual. His piqued mood didn't deter her in the slightest.

"I was just coming to check up on you," she said in her slight british accent, resting one hand on her hip and shifting her weight to one foot. Anubias grunted in response, keeping his eyes locked on the drink he had his hand wrapped around. She was silent for a few moments, and Anubias's thoughts drifted to the battle he was looking forward to in about an hour. He would be facing none other than Marucho of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, to prove his worth to Barodius against the top-ranked players. Anubias was currently ranked fourth, and Sellon was sixth, but Marucho, Shun, and Dan were the top three players. Of course, Anubias would be unable to battle Dan, and this idea irked him. He would only be able to reach second in the rankings, unless Dan miraculously returned to battle him in Bakugan Interspace.

Sellon pulled a chair out from under his table and gently lowered herself into it, and Anubias turned his head to the side. Their eyes met, his challenging stare boring into her chilly blue orbs. He only glanced at her accusingly for a moment before closing his eyes and lifting his straw to his lips.

When he set it down again, he purposely directed his gaze into the commons. They locked unconsciously on the spinning screens that rotated around the center of the commons, where he noticed his performance being displayed. He frowned at it for a moment before it flashed to feature Shun, outlined in green, who had previously proved his skill by defeating a tag team of brawlers while using none other than Pyrus Drago. Anubias had his eyes set on Shun next, and he had no intention of losing.

"Hey, did you hear about Joe's battle against Jack?"

"What do you mean, Sophie lost her battle against him?"

"Yeah!"

"Noah, what attribute do you brawl with?"

"I prefer Sub-Terra, to be honest."

"Sub-Terra? But Ventus is so much..."

"Why not Pyrus? You practically idolize Dan Kuso."

"I wouldn't say idolize..."

"Has Fabia woken up yet?" Until now, Anubias had been paying no attention to the jumbled voices that met his ears. Most of the murmurs that reached him had been discussing the brawls that were taking place every day. He had perked up a bit when he heard the name Jack, a young boy that had shown quite a bit of promise in the arena as an Aquos battler, but then zoned out again until his ears detected the name "Fabia".

He glanced around, as did Sellon, and it didn't take long for them to determine the origin of the murmured conversation. Standing beside the floating, rotating screens was none other than Shun Kazami himself, and Anubias sat up. He was contemplating confronting the teen, but that was when he realized that Shun was not alone. A young, light blue haired boy was standing beside him, dressed in a white and red shirt as well as maroon pants. Anubias quickly recognized him as Nethian, and was easily able to put a name to the face. Linus Claude.

"Yes, she has," Linus said quietly, and Shun, who had been looking up at the video being streamed to the screen, glanced at the Castle Knight in surprise. Anubias and Sellon exchanged glances.

"When did she wake up?" Shun questioned, keeping his voice down as he quickly glanced around for any eavesdroppers. Somehow, his sensitive ninja eyes failed to pick up Sellon and Anubias, both of whom quickly looked away when they noticed his perimeter check.

"Just a few hours ago. She's exhausted, though. You'd think she had a Prophet Dream," Linus murmured. Shun cocked his head at him.

"I know that Prophet Dreams basically let the one experiencing it see into the dreams of another person, but you guys weren't very clear about it," Shun replied, closing his eyes. The silence that followed was an invitation for Linus to begin explaining, and Linus took the opportunity.

"Prophet Dreams can be controlled if you are the one that tried to gain access to the mind of another person," Linus told him. "And most Nethian prophets are very adept at controlling them. They are very useful for gathering information. The only real downside to them is that it leaves you so exhausted you just need to sleep more."

"Interesting," was all Shun said in response. "So she's sleeping again?"

"Yes. And Rafe is watching her, with Paige." The two were silent for a few minutes, watching as the screens slowly rotated. Neither were paying attention to the announcements, though. There were many more important things on their minds.

"Marucho told me to tell you that they might need you technical skills to help them with some research," Shun muttered, opening his eyes slightly to look at Linus. He glanced at Shun, turning his body toward him. "It has to do with Vestal technology."

"Really?" Linus questioned. "Exactly what of it?"

"There was... a portal device created a long time ago," Shun tried to explain. "It opened a portal to another dimension if you threw it down, only it was black." Anubias and Sellon glanced at each other again. Linus was studying Shun curiosly, and Rubanoid popped out on Linus's shoulder. Hawktor and Taylean floated above Shun's shoulders, watching Rubanoid curiously.

"A few years ago, a few friends of ours were sucked into that portal. Spectra and Mira said that there was a possibility that they survived," Shun said shortly. "They traced the trail to a planet near Nethia, and even though it looks like life can be sustained there, they aren't sure. Plus, the portal is very unstable, and that's why it's black. They need help to stabilize it, and Marucho told me that your help might be needed." Linus turned his gaze from the steely-eyed ninja and redirected it to a group of young battlers, one of which had a spiky black hair and golden eyes. This boy had been studying Shun curiously, but quickly averted his eyes when Linus turned his way.

"I'll keep my ears open," Linus responded when he looked back at Shun. Shun nodded, and Linus took that as his dismissal. He turned and departed silently, leaving Shun alone in the center of the Interspace.

Anubias lifted his drink to his lips again, contemplating this new bit of information. His thoughts didn't last long before being interrupted. "The master has requested that we return to Displatis for a meeting just after your battle," Sellon said quietly, once Anubias had replaced his drink. She didn't take her eyes off Shun. "He requests your presence specifically."

"Why me?" he grumbled. Sellon stole her eyes away from Shun long enough for her to shoot him an irritated glance.

"You should be grateful that the master has taken a liking to you," Sellon told him, and Anubias suppressed a groan. He'd had enough of her philosophy for one day.

"Hmph."

"He probably thinks that you're a better battler than me. But I'll prove to him that's not true."

Make that a month.

"Whatever Sellon," Anubias growled, standing up. The legs of the chair scrapped harshly against the virtual floor of the Interspace, but Sellon didn't flinch. Anubias easily tossed his soda into a nearby garbage can, and turned around to find that Sellon hadn't moved.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" he grumbled.

"Nothing that I can't afford to be late for," she replied smoothly. Anubias growled angrily at her irritating, higher-than-thou attitude, and strolled away from her with his fists clenched at his sides. She called out after him with a half hearted "Good luck!", but Anubias didn't turn around. She smirked.

"Oh, if only you'd stayed longer," she snickered. "You'd know who we have our sights set on next. But I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you, Anubias?"

* * *

><p><strong>GAH! THAT TOOK FOREVER! I am so tired right now I'm numb inside and I don't feel like writing (that happens if I get seriously sleep deprived and upset). Let's just say this week has been a bad week, and it's still not over yet... ugh... Oh well... tomorrow is a half day and the walkathon, what could go wrong? (says sarcastically)<strong>

**Anyway, I am really sorry it took so long to update. The part in the beginning was hard, and the dialogue was the hardest. I'm not experienced with Runo's personality, nor Joe's, so things were a bit difficult... And then Anubias... well... he's just Anubias. He's hard to personify correctly, too... Hopefully later it'll get easier.**

**School is taking a toll on me. I have so little time to spend on writing... Instead I'm spending it studying. HIGH SCHOOL IS HARD! X_X And it doesn't help that I'm having boy issues either... AND I AM 13 YEARS OLD! Oh help... Things are not going at all how I planned they would. But that's high school for you. Spontaneous, stressful, and yet, so awesome...**

**I'm going to end my rant with a big apology. I AM SO SORRY! I will try to update faster, especially since it's been about a month since I last did update... Updates might be kinda sporadic from now on... I'm sorry...**

**But please, tell me how I'm doing...**

**Review!**


	15. True Pain

**"The power to cause pain is the only power that matters, the power to kill and destroy, because if you can't kill then you are always subject to those who can, and nothing and no one will ever save you,"~ ORSON SCOTT CARD, Ender's Game.**

**I have a disturbed mind. I am serious. There is no joke in that. I have a disturbed mind.**

* * *

><p>Dan had never known true pain and emotional tumult until he was kidnapped by the Gundalians.<p>

Kazarina's words rang true, and Dan was spending his days in hell now. An agonizing torture had flared up in his arm by the eve of the second day, and it had grown increasingly worse as the next day began and wore on. It was like hot water was constantly being run down his arm, scalding and scaring his already persecuted skin. The burns were an angry red, pulsing their throes through all the nerves of their origin to his brain.

Shadow and the others had managed to talk Mylene out of trying to soak Dan's arm in alcohol, simply due to the agony he was already enduring, but when they brought Dan a drink or something to eat, he felt their eyes on his arm. They were watching. Waiting. Anticipating. He felt as though they were studying him like some sort of science experiment. As if they were silently inspecting his movements for when he'd give in to the pain entirely.

As he lay on his bed and they passed by in the hallway, he knew they watched him. He knew that concern was what was felt. It pulsed through the air like a poisonous gas, and every time he drew a breath, he was filled with the potent emotion. But he didn't feel it himself. It was perceived. It wasn't shared.

Irritation and anger had already flared up inside the only human on this planet. It had begun to take root in his mind ever since he experienced the persistent visions that still haunted him. The toxic emotion had tightened its grip on his soul with each hour he spent in this prison. The beatings he endured each day were noting but fuel to the fire that was raging inside of him. Bruises shadowed his skin. Whip lashes were an angry red against the paling skin of his back, and blood was crusted around the wounds caused by that deadly weapon. His arms had taken on purple as their permanent skin tone. His eyes had dark crescents beneath them, revealing the broken nose that had been a punishment from Gill, but masking his exhaustion. He had a black eye, and his chest had been painted purple. He couldn't move without pain, and this angered him even more than the gazes that never left him.

His weakness was what caused him the most turmoil. His weakness that was so visible to his former enemies. His weakness that was evident to the ones who watched him deteriorate with their invisible eyes. He was locked here, forced to endure these horrors for the sheer amusement of his captors. He was unconsciously aware that he was reaching his limit, but his waking mind refused to acknowledge this.

He dreaded the night.

Sleep was not a welcome haven anymore. Such mercies as these had been denied to him. The whip lashes and burns secured that. His nights were restless and a torture that was completely unique, utterly unlike anything he had experienced in the past. He rarely lost himself in dreams, and when he did, they lasted but a few seconds. It was hard to even call them dreams. They were nightmares of their own kind, undoubtably conjured by the blue skinned Gundalian witch. Purple tendrils, obscure darkness, guttural roars and three pairs of blood red eyes haunted what few moments he spent numb to his pain. Deep growls whispered in his ears, hissing words that were barely discernible. The only two he heard clearly were "gate" and "key", and those two words held no significance to him.

He awoke to these rare nightmares with a shout each time they pulled him under. Cries for help and his Bakugan partner echoed throughout the room at night, and yet, none came. No relief was offered even from the allies that rested on the other sides of the walls encasing him. He was locked in his room at night. He had been stripped of his freedom, his happiness, his friends, his ability to relax. He was becoming nothing more than a shell of his former self, and at an alarmingly fast rate. He felt like he was going to go insane.

Now, as he forced himself to sit up in the ungodly hours of the morning, he whimpered at his misery. Pain had become his life now, haunting even the simplest of movements. His muscles screamed in protest, but he made them move. He shrugged a fleece blanket over his shoulders due to the temperature of the evening. Then he struggled to his feet, leaning on the wall near the bolted door for support. The pressure, however slight, of his skinny body leaning against the freezing metal wall caused a throbbing pain to travel through him. It was quite dull in comparison to the soreness of his back and arm, but it didn't stop him from feeling his misery.

Shadows blanketed everything in the room, making his arms appear even more purple than they already were. His eyes gleamed in the dim but whitish light that filtered out of the bathroom, and the skin on his face had a silver sheen. His eyes had long adjusted to this darkness, and he easily picked out the obstacles, or lack thereof, in the room. This convenience made his short trek easier.

As he lifted his foot, a pang of hunger nailed him in the stomach, which was then followed by nausea. He grimaced, removing one pale hand from the wall and wrapping his arm around his stomach as he bent over. The blanket slipped from his bare shoulders to the floor, leaving him shirtless and chilled. The tank top, now a tattered ruin of fabric, wouldn't have offered him much more thermal protection. A minute passed, and the discomfort subsided. He slowly lifted his torso, blinking back tears of longing for his home with great effort. His hand found the wall once more, and he dragged one bare foot along the achingly cold metal floor.

It took him a few minutes, but he managed to stumble across the room to the bathroom. Just this small distance left him feeling lethargic and tired; his legs and arms shook and his hands trembled when they found the freezing door frame. Dan's pale fingers branched out and hooked onto the small ledge there where the door would secure itself inside the frame, and he closed his eyes. Struggling to steady himself, he paid no heed to the tears of homesickness that beaded on his eyelashes. When he opened his eyes a moment later though, he found the chilled drops bothersome. He brushed them away with a quick, mechanical movement that made him wince.

When he found the resolve to move again, he forced himself to take another torturous step into the bathroom. The metallic walls reflected the light of the moon, which filtered in from above. Dan lifted his gaze and squinted, pausing. A silver orb shined above the large glass dome of the ceiling, and suddenly, that ball made up his iris and pupil. His normally juniper colored eyes were suddenly a misty silver, a trait attributed to the moon above him and his sense of hopeless longing for home.

He wasn't aware that he had lowered his gaze and started forward again until his ears detected the movement. His feet barely made a sound, so the only evidence he himself could detect was the slight swish his clothes made as he pressed onward. That and his pained breathing, once he gave thought to this almost alarming sensitivity.

Somehow, he made it to the bathtub. He stared down at it stupidly for a moment, trying to process the past few seconds of torturous stumbling, as the world swayed. The next thing he realized, his arm was pressed against the wall, sending waves of pain through him. The tears that had clouded his vision dripped down his bruised and cut face, stinging their trails harshly. Dan's tongue darted out and moistened his lips as he forced back this emotional revolt, and his hand reached for the dial in the tub.

Hot water rushed forward, flowing out of the jets that had been placed strategically in the basin. The steam wafted up slowly, and Dan stumbled back to the bathroom door, placing his hand on a button there. The door slid shut with a mechanical swish, and Dan trudged back toward the bathtub. He braced one hand on the sink as he relieved himself, then stripped himself of the pants and underwear he was fortunate enough to retain.

It took Dan quite a bit of effort to sink into the warm waters of the bathtub. His pale arms shook and were dotted with goosebumps, and when his frigid, blue-tinted toes touched the steaming liquid that made up the bath, he hissed in pain. To him, the water was scalding. He glanced at a small thermometer that stuck up on the side of the tub, wondering if he had set the water to be hotter than he would be able to withstand. The digital register showed the temperature clearly in red. 38.6 degrees Celsius.

Dan sighed, letting his legs fall limp above the water. They plunged into the heated substance with a small plunk, and Dan grimaced as it washed over his pale, bruised skin. He tried to hold himself up while the needles of heat stabbed him, but he just didn't have the strength, and his arms gave out. He slid quickly into the hot water with a hiss of pain, and he winced at its harsh burn.

Without thinking, he ripped his eternally marked arm out of the steaming liquid, expecting pain to bombard him at any second. The excruciating torment sawed at his nerves once more in just a fraction of a second, and the stomach churning fear of such afflictions intensified. The brutal whip lashes on his back were the next to hurt him, and then his lacerations all stung as though salt had been thrown upon them.

Despite the unbearably nauseating fire that engulfed his wounded mind and spirit, the only verbal expression of his laments was a soft, muffled whimper. Such a sound was a pitiful plea for help; that much was obvious to the silent observer. The tears fell freely upon numb cheeks, a sign of his noiseless desperation. The way that Dan's teeth cut into the chapped pink skin that was designed to protect those deadly tools suggested that he was unwilling to allow his sorrow to spring forth uncontrolled, as though he was unaware of his misty eyes betraying him. It was as if the depression were quicksand, and if he succumbed to it once, he would be dragged far into its depths. Far enough to be caught there forever. He would have no say in the matter once his weakness was exposed.

No. Weakness was not welcomed here.

The silent observer did was he did best, in addition to keeping himself controlled. The horrors that this teenager-no, this mere child-was being forced to endure gave him the chills. The spine-tingling disbelief made him shiver, but when he would reflect on this later, he would not admit to himself that he had indeed reacted in this manner. The boy in the bathroom often acted tough, often went out of his way to make it seem as though he were the strongest, cleverest, and most powerful being in the universe. Now, as the being peering through the door gazed upon Dan's beaten body, he was aware that the child before him were nothing more than what he appeared to be. A child.

No emotions besides a strange pity and an awful amazement penetrated this secretive figure. The silver-stained tears that slowly slid down Dan's cheeks dripped into the water as gravity seized them. Any sound they could have made was lost in the mechanical hum of hot water circulating throughout the tub. Dan's whimpers had already been suppressed into shallow gasps. These, too, were inaudible above the rush of the heated liquid, which continued to torture Dan in its irritatingly unique method. The pity that surfaced within the witness at this sight was instantaneous and automatic, but, as far as he could tell, had no cause. An existence deprived of love and free will had also robbed him of the ability to discern the reasons behind his strange emotions.

Dan tucked his chin into his chest in a futile effort to hide his tribulations. His limbs shook with the pain, and also that pungent, paralyzing impossibility of rescue. It was beginning to shadow his thoughts, even though he would never admit to giving in to such hopelessness. The invisible figure at the door, however, would hold the proof of Dan's weakness vividly in his mind for the rest of his life-however long it was fated to be. The fates of both the victim and the witness were tied tightly, and the threads were held by a shadowed puppet-master. The puppet-master had a masked face, and manipulated its marionettes with a skilled, amused hand. Every once in a while that hand would pause, as if its owner were contemplating its next move, but then a simple flick of the wrist would send the limp limbs at the end of the strings into another dance-a dance whose outcome had the potential to be either merciful, or savage.

The figure at the door lost himself in his thoughts, and only looked up when a previously constant noise began to fade. The boy in the basin didn't acknowledge the waters as they ceased to flow from the taps, nor did he move when the power held by the water jets suddenly decreased. The waters grew still, yet he didn't seem to realize it. His back leaned against the basin and his shoulders sagged, but his hand remained balanced on the side of the tub. Dan's greasy, brown bangs hid his eyes.

The observer blinked at the lack of movement. Puzzled, his eyebrows creased. Why was Dan so still?

The boy remained in this position for a moment, but it didn't take long for him to slump to the side. He was silent, and with this movement, his hair moved so eyes became visible. They were closed, and his face was relaxed. His lips were parted just wide enough for his teeth-his still white teeth-to be visible.

The figure sighed, realizing that the boy must have finally lost consciousness. He hesitated for a moment before entering the room, just in case Dan did happen to be awake, but a strange feeling had intruded upon him. His knowledgable mind quickly identified it as concern, and it was immediately questioned. That feeling didn't belong, and its presence made its perceiver fidget. This was an unsettling new development.

* * *

><p><em>A pale figure was standing on a sidewalk on the edge of a dimly lit road, waiting. Exactly what he was waiting for was impossible to discern, but he kept shifting his weight anxiously from foot to foot. The black straps of a backpack stood out greatly against the baggy white sweatshirt that masked his gender. That garment made his torso seem extremely disproportionate to his legs, which were wrapped in blue jeans.<em>

_The figure held an iPod in his hands, and a nearly invisible wire snaked up the front of the rumpled sweatshirt. It only became visible when it crossed in front of a backpack strap. The iPod itself emitted a white glow from between his thin, cleanly-clipped fingers. The music was blaring loud enough for any bystander to hear, even if the deserted tunnel were buzzing with activity and cars._

**_I will not bow, I will not break,_**

**_I will shove the world away._**

_The figure kept his head bent forward and his face shadowed, so his features appeared masculine. His actual gender was difficult to discern, but he appeared to be a male._

**_I will not fall, I will not fade,_**

**_I will take your breath away._**

_From behind the figure a second form appeared, striding out of the sliding automatic doors behind the first. This character was unmistakably male, with square shoulders and a pair of carpenters jeans ornamented with decorative chains. The chains made a small metallic shifting sound that differed greatly from the blaring music from the headphones, and marked the difference between these two teens._

**_And I'll survive paranoid,_**

**_I have lost the will to change._**

_The second figure, with a mop of messy brown hair, approached the first with a slight hesitation. He pulled a black suitcase on wheels behind him, coupled with the backpack that rested upon his shoulders. His dark gaze was fixed on the teen in front of him, and a number of emotions were reflected in his shadowed eyes. Concern, pity and irritation were the only ones distinguishable in the horribly lit tunnel._

**_And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake,_**

**_I will shove the world away._**

_"You can talk to me," he said, and from the tone of his voice, it seemed as though he had been repeating it many times, but his efforts had obviously been fruitless. He seemed to be offering it but not really expecting a positive response. He didn't receive one, nor any response from the teen at all until a large, white van slowed to a stop in front of them._

**_I will not bow, I will not break,_**

**_I will shove the world away._**

_The first figure lifted his head, revealing hairless, porcelain skin. The shadows cast by the dim yellow street lights masked any other details from the eyes of onlookers. His eyes were still hidden by the dark glasses, and they cast their own shadows on his face. But now that he was faced with the task of identifying this vehicle, he lifted his hand, which was white from gripping the iPod so hard. The long, uneven fingernails caught the plastic rim of the glasses and lowered them, revealing his bright green eyes._

_He blinked, then pushed them back up the bridge of his nose. He tugged an earbud out of his ear, tucked the iPod on his pocket, and with that, his hand closed around the handle of his suitcase once more. He took a step forward and continued until he stood a few feet from the van. The passenger side window of the van rolled down-the only window on this side of the van, despite the double doors._

_"Did my dad send you to pick me up?" the teen asked softly. It was a cracked, rather high-pitched voice for a boy._

_"Yeah, kid," the man on the passenger side said, placing a particular emphasis on the "kid" part of his blunt response. The teen flinched and choked, his hand closing around the handle of the suitcase._

_"Why didn't my dad come to get me?" he asked, his voice sounding oddly high._

_"He was busy... preparing a welcome home dinner for you." The voice from the van was vaguely familiar, and strangely enough, ended his sentence with a higher pitch than he started out. It was almost like he was asking a question._

_The boy there was silent for a moment, his jaw clenched and his knuckles white from gripping the handle. The boy behind him watched his friend with a concerned and suspicious gaze, then shot an irritated look at the man on the passenger side._

_"Well? Aren't you going to open the door?" he challenged. The man let out a sound that was a cross between a hiss and a growl, but the teen didn't back down. His glare deepened as the lyrics of the song now blaring from the headphones reached his ears._

**_This truth drives me into madness,_**

**_I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away,_**

**_If I will it all away._**

_"Open the door, you imbecile!" an angry woman snarled from the drivers seat. The first teen flinched._

_"Oh, pipe down!" snapped the man, taking no time to unbuckle his seatbelt if he wore one and getting straight to opening his door. He climbed out easily and slammed it, then turned and turned a lock in the keyhole on the side doors of the van. These doors were completely metal, unlike some of the other vans that had windows in that position. He swung the doors wide open and stepped to the side, keeping one hand locked around the door itself._

**_Don't turn out the lights,_**

**_Never sleep never die..._**

_When the first, frail teen didn't move, the second one sighed. He stepped forward, pulling his suitcase along with him. He was about to lift it into the van when the man holding the door pressed an arm into his chest. The teen lifted his gaze defiantly, capturing the man's gaze and holding it._

_"What do you think you're doing?" the man challenged in an amused yet threatening tone. However, his smirk was mirthless, and his thin, golden eyes blazed a trail of fire into the boy's steely gaze._

_"What do you mean?" the brunette responded in an equally dangerous manner. "You're taking the both of us. I'm going to help my friend get in, so it only makes sense that I go in first." The man didn't move, and in this brief pause, their glares deepened. Unspoken threats became heavier as the silence between them became more drawn out. A strong gust of wind seized their hair, whipping the man's behind him and forcefully coaxing the teen's hair to nip at his cheeks._

_In the end, their staring contest yielded no victor. The woman driving the van called out an irritated demand to get a move on, and the man tore his gaze away to quip back a snide retort. The brunette took this opportunity to push past the man and step up into the van, pulling his suitcase with him. He pushed it and his backpack against the far wall of the van and turned around, paying no attention to the details of the inside of the vehicle._

_He grabbed the suitcase that his friend had brought with him, then reached out his hand to him, the figure who finally moved his arms on his own accord._

_Now, an almost malicious chant was blaring from the earbuds._

**_Servatis a periculum,_**

**_Servatis a maleficum._**

_A pale hand met his slightly darker one, and the brunette shivered at the frigid touch. Despite the fact that these fingers had been encased within the sweatshirt, they were still unbelievably cold. It was almost as if the ice that encased the heart of the teen before him had extended its reach, spreading through the bloodstream of his body._

_The teen shook off the chill that had spread into his own being and tugged on his friend's hand, inviting his small form to lift itself into the van. After a moments hesitation, he lifted his foot and rested it on the ledge of the doorway. His comrade offered his other hand, but the small teen refused it. He stooped as he stepped across the threshold to avoid banging his head on the roof, and he stumbled._

_As soon as the teen had gained solid footing within the van, the doors slammed shut behind him. He and his friend both flinched, the smaller of the two in silence and the brunette with a gasp of surprise. The one with the sunglasses stumbled again, and the brunette placed his hands on his shoulders, steadying him. The sound of a lock clicking made them stiffen, and then the man hopped back into the front. That was when the brunette noticed the mesh cage separating the passengers from the drivers. His eyes widened in horror._

_"Drive!" The uncontainable glee in the man's voice made the smaller teen start, and he lifted his gaze from the ground in shock. He and his comrade both yelped when the van pulled away from the curb. The larger stumbled and fell, whereas the skinny teen latched his fingers onto the mesh caging. The iPod fell out of his pocket, dragging the earbuds with it. His sunglasses fell from his face, revealing his horribly bloodshot green eyes. An awful sensation of horror was pooling in his stomach, and his hands started to shake._

_"No..." he whispered, his voice a mix of terror and disbelief. The man turned in his seat so that his huge, diamond shaped eyes were visible, and his elfish ears suddenly were the main focus of the teen. His eyes widened even more, and an absolutely horrid sneer spread across the face of the man before him._

_"Gotcha!" the man cackled. "I didn't think that you'd fall for something as simple as that! But I guess that your boyfriend played a part in that, didn't he?"_

_"No no NO!" the teen screamed, tears pooling in his eyes. "This can't be happening! NO!"_

_"What?" the brunette cried, even more on edge now that his friend was screaming. Suddenly, the van swerved to the left, making both teens cry out. The one that had been standing stumbled to the side and fell against the bare metal walls, letting out a shriek. The hood fell from his head, revealing his gender._

_"Runo!" her friend cried, and confirmed her gender. The man in the front snickered, and tears began to fall down the girl's face._

_"Why?" she screamed, a horrible, earsplitting scream that caused the driver to swerve in surprise. "Why did you cause all this to happen?"_

* * *

><p>"Unng... Runo..." Dan moaned, grimacing. His arms twitched as he attempted to move, but the pain that came from even the simple action of tensing them made him gasp. His eyes shot open, his pupils dilated enough to take up most of his iris. No highlights showed the wetness of his eyes. The darkness was absolute. Nothing gave any hint to the tears streaming down his cheeks and onto the pillow beneath his head as he recalled the desperate scream of his girl-ex girlfriend. He was so engulfed in the lingering horror of this event that he neglected all senses but the ones that screamed for attention until a hand came down on his shoulder.<p>

Dan started, taking in a sharp intake of breath. The action that was meant to energize him and supply him with the oxygen to fight or flee instead served to cause him even more pain, and he choked. The darkness engulfed him, becoming a crippling handicap in the one situation where the ability to see was crucial. He found himself desperately yearning for oxygen while he struggled to overcome his lack of breath, and his panic made this all the more worse.

"Calm down."

"St-Stoica... he..."

"Relax."

The word was simple, two syllables. It held no threat among the letters themselves, but the tone was sharp. Insistent. Not threatening exactly, but forceful.

For some reason, Dan felt himself doing just what he had been commanded to do. Instead of being tempted to fight as he normally would have, he found his muscles were becoming less taut. The panic inside him was ebbing away, and an odd but comforting warmth was radiating from the grip upon his shoulder. Slowly, the constant, fiery pain that assaulted him even in his sleep was disappearing. This registered in Dan's mind as a strange occurrence, and his slowing mind urged him to come out of his stupor and question it. However, due to the fact that this was the most relief he had felt in days, he suppressed this urge. The exhaustion that he had been plagued with caught up with him once again, and for once, he had the option of surrendering to it. And he took full advantage of the opportunity.

He allowed himself to sink into the darkness that hovered beneath him, inviting him to do just that. The first waves of painless, blissful sleep were like the gates of heaven themselves. They were the exact opposite of the torturous hell he had been enduring just minutes before. Dan relished this, and the soft, warm tendrils of bliss gently encased his being.

With that, Dan allowed his consciousness to offer itself up to this merciful god of sleep, and cherished every moment of bliss granted to him by this stranger. Did it matter if he could trust him or not? Dan already did, because he gave him a gift worth more than anything he had ever received in the past.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh my God, I am so SORRY! I didn't think my writers block on this would last this long! I AM SO SORRY!<strong>

**Things have been hell in my life right now, not that I'm asking for pity or anything. You all came here for the story, and I accept that. I would have updated sooner, but I have been swamped by schoolwork, those boy problems I told you about last time, and worry about the problems of my parents. I'm only admitting that here because none of my family will ever get this far in the story(I'm confident of that because otherwise I would not have said something like that that would make them worry about me). It's probably the same for my friends(same reason). I'm perfectly fine with that, just so long as I have a few people looking at this willingly. It means a lot to me that you all care enough about this story to read even when I don't update. Thank you so much everyone!**

**Once again, I am extremely sorry for the lack of updates. Writers block isn't an excuse, and neither is being swamped with my problems. I made a commitment when I started this story, and I need to honor that. I will do my very best to update in the future, and if I don't update within the next month or so, I expect those of you with accounts to harass me through the PM feature until I do.**

**The songs featured in this chapter are I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin, and Whisper by Evanescence.**

**Thanks again for your support of this story.**

**Oh, and Merry Christmas! (I did not plan to update on Christmas, it was a lucky coincidence xD)**

**Will you do me the honor of leaving me a review?**


	16. Hysterics

**"The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship." ~ Sir Francis Bacon**

Anubias leaned against the wall in Bakugan Interspace, looking irritated as ever. Sellon, predictably, leaned on the other side of the corner, glaring out at the world around them. More and more, as Anubias became acclimated with the human culture, he was thinking of her as goth. He was just beginning to hope he'd be able to avoid conversation with her when she spoke.

"So, how have your recruits been going?"

The casual question hid some sort of ulterior motive, he could tell.

"Fine. Yours?"

"I think they are progressing... satisfactorily." He couldn't see her from his position, but he could just envision her examining her fingernails experimentally. To anyone looking at her from more than ten feet away, she'd look perfectly harmless. Maybe like she was trying to look cool. But Anubias also had a feeling she was smirking. When she smirked, she was a snake.

"Chris and Soon would be my top choices, but if that girl... Julie? would only come out and fight... It would certainly be interesting to see how the tides of battle would turn with her on our side," Sellon continued. Anubias detected the movement of her head out of the corner of his eye, but didn't turn his own head to meet her gaze. "Who are your recruits of choice?"

He knew she was enjoying making him talk. Enjoying baiting him. Fine, he'd take the bait this time. "Ben seems to show promise, as do Robin and Jack."

"That small boy? He's an... Aquos brawler, correct?" she questioned. He grunted in response, glancing at the rotating screens a little ways away from their positions. Shun was supposed to be battling in a little while, and he was interested in witnessing it.

As he gazed at the rotating screens, Sellon continued to try to patronize him, but he had tuned her out again. Something on the screen was wrong. Anubias narrowed his eyes. "Why was Shun's battle delayed?" he interrupted her. He wasn't sure if he had irritated her or not, but she trailed off.

"That is odd," she murmured a moment later, pushing off the wall absently. Anubias did the same. Shun's battle had been delayed three hours, which was quite unlike the dark haired ninja. Even with Dan's disappearance, Shun had still fought his battles with impeccable punctuality. The fact that this one, right after Runo's disappearance, took place, raised suspicions within the two brawlers like red flags.

"Do you think Princess Fabia's woken up?" Sellon asked, watching him out of the corner of her eyes. She had placed a hand on her hip in a classic posture of femininity, just as Anubias had crossed his arms while he frowned at the screen.

"I'm not sure. It's possible." Then, he smirked. "If that's the case, then things are bound to get interesting."

Sellon smirked herself, then returned her gaze to the floating screens. "I find that I must agree with you. The ungraceful fall of the Brawlers has begun."

"What's a Prophetess?" Baron asked as he stared at Fabia in confusion. She shifted uncomfortably under the stares of her friends, who were all gathered around her bed. Mira, Julie, Runo and Alice were the only ones missing. Fabia was dressed only in a simple hospital gown, the kind with a bare back, and it was taking a toll on her. She was used to being the epitome of strength and courage, so this sudden change of roles was unsettling.

"A Prophetess is a Nethain with the ability to share dreams or tell the future," Fabia said. "We talked about this right before Stoica butted in."

"So you are a Prophetess." Eyes flicked to Shun, who was leaning against the wall near Fabia's bed. She nodded, then appeared to set aside her nervousness and take control. Her voice was stronger when she spoke again.

"Yes. My abilities are limited, though, to just dream intervention. I can walk in the realm of dreams whenever I wish. I cannot sense the future, but I can tell if someone is lying."

"Why were you always so suspicious of me, then?" Ren questioned. There was no trace of animosity in his inquiry, only curiosity. Fabia looked at him and sighed.

"I couldn't get sure signals from you. Plus, I let my own anger at the Gundalians as a race get in the way of recognizing the truth, that you had changed. You were so adept at lying it was unnerving. It was almost as though you really wanted to be on our side..."

"I did," Ren said quietly. Lena, Zenet, Jesse and Mason all glanced at him, but he didn't look back at him. He stood at the foot of Fabia's bed, his arms crossed. His serious, golded gaze was fixed on the floor at first, but he lifted it now to meet Fabia's surprised expression. "Marucho was the first person to actually treat me like a friend, and I started to have my doubts about Barrodius and the others. I mean, Lena, Zenet, Mason, Sid and Jesse, you were all great." Their surprised expressions began to soften. "However, we all let our duty to our country get in the way of friendship. We all began to be professional and refused to let the falls of our teammates bother us.

"When they all disposed of all of you one by one, my doubts about the emperor just got more and more strong. What kind of person was I working for that would get rid of his own soldiers simply because of one or two losses? And this was the man that wanted ultimate power?"

"The answer seems clear to us now, Ren," Lena said. "But then, you had been promised your freedom. The rest of us, well, we were just prodigies. We were told it was our duty to serve in the army."

"We didn't know any better, Ren," Mason sighed. "And little by little, we began to see what was wrong with our way of thinking. It eventually just became about surviving."

"They would have killed us without a second thought if we deferred," Zenet pointed out with wide eyes. "Why do you think Jesse ran?"

"Jesse ran away?" Jake repeated in surprise. Jesse grinned as he turned the pages of his book. He seemed to be enjoying the fact that the rest of the people in the room had turned their eyes to him.

"I was hoping at first to prove my worth to my superiors, but after they disposed of me like a filthy traitor, I knew that I was on the wrong side. Unfortunately at the time, I was in no position to change my mind. Once we were released from the clutches of that witch, however, we acted on our newfound enlightenment, and penned our own ending, in which we were the stars and victors!" His voice had mounted in volume as his speech went on, drawing the stares of his allies. Ren blinked at him, but then returned his attention to Fabia.

"I suppose it was because my intentions at the time were clouded that you couldn't tell if I was lying or not," he said. She nodded.

"So what was your dream about?" Ace asked. Fabia bit her lip.

"Well, I can't tell that right away. Right before we got tine information that Dan had been taken, on Nethia, I had a Prophet Dream." Linus and Rafe looked startled, but Fabia ignored their reaction. "In my dream, Kazarina found me in a hallway, and I had Aranaut with me. For some reason, though, she kept saying that I had invaded her dream, when I most certainly hadn't. I thought she was dead."

"Wait, so you found out they were alive before?" Zenet exclaimed. Fabia nodded.

"Yes. Kazarina made Aranaut vanish, and then she took me to Barodius. In the dream we were on Gundalia, in some dark hallway, then she took me to what I assume was Barodius's throne room. There were these two platforms and red stairs connecting them, and Barodius's throne was at the very top." Ren and the others exchanged glances, and that was all the others needed to tell that Fabia's description had hit home. "Kazarina asked if Barodius wanted me to know something, which I'm assuming now is the information that Dan had been kidnapped. He said no, that fear had to mount. The only other thing he said was that his price was the same: the powers of the Sacred Orb."

"So he was planning all this from the beginning?" Marucho asked before taking another sip of his coffee. Fabia glanced at him.

"Have you gotten any sleep at all?" she exclaimed, noticing how he still had dark circles under his eyes. "It's been a week since he vanished. Please tell me you've at least slept a bit!"

"Yeah, I've been sleeping... Ren locked me in my room after I passed out the other day," he replied sheepishly. His tired eyes had lost their sparkle. Fabia stared at him with parted lips as he yawned, then gestured to her to continue. "Keep going, I'm fine."

"Alright..." she sounded doubtful, but continued nonetheless. "Um... Yeah, they must have known what they were going to do for a while..."

"Wait Princess," Rafe said quietly. "How was Barodius in the dream if you were in Kazarina's dream? He couldn't have been real, Prophet Dreams don't work like that."

"He's right," Paige muttered. "I've read about them. Prophet Dreams can only be shared by two people."

"Well, it wasn't just Barodius," Fabia sighed. "It was all of them, aside from Nurzak." The Gundalians and Castle Knights gasped in surprise. Fabia closed her eyes. "It didn't make sense to me either, and I was confused for a moment, but then, because I could tell that they were all real, I was shocked. I couldn't believe they were alive, and when I woke up, I was trying to process it, but then I was informed of Dan's disappearance. It eclipsed my own problems, but now I've had time to put things together."

"So that was only the beginning?" Linus said. The question sounded more like a statement, but it was still obviously that. Fabia nodded.

"Yes. I was a bit unnerved when Kazarina appeared in the arena. By that time, I had been suspecting that she was of Nethian lineage. Of course, it was obvious. She had blue skin while everyone else had gray skin." Lena and Zenet were nodding.

"It's very rare for a Gundalian to have blue skin," Lena agreed. "There have been a few great Gundalians in history that have had blue skin and attributed it to a rare skin disorder, but a few admitted to having a Nethian parent."

"That was when I asked her how she was alive when I had witnessed her body myself. She told me she was a Prophet Illusionist, which is a type of Prophetess. However, the ability to induce illusions only comes from the union of Gundalian and Nethian blood, and this information is only known by Nethians." Fabia lifted her gaze to meet Ren's. "Kazarina is half-Nethian, half-Gundalian. Her ability to hypnotize is purely Gundalian, but the ability to create illusions and even nightmares is from the mixture of her blood."

"You don't look very surprised, Ren," Shun said quietly. They all looked at Ren, who had been glaring into a corner. He met Shun's serious yet impassive gaze evenly before explaining what was on his mind.

"Both Lena and I have had our suspicions about Kazarina for a while. This just confirmed them," Ren shared. "But I must admit that this complicates things. She never used this ability in the past, but the fact that she's pulled out all the stops this time around suggests that this is going to be the final battle. This will end in the complete and utter destruction of one side, and now that they have Dan, you can kinda guess how this looks."

"That's not good," Baron said nervously.

"Of course it's not," Ace agreed rudely. He crossed his arms and glanced at Percival on his shoulders.

"I hardly think that they'll be a match for all of us together, regardless of the fact that they have Dan."

"But that wasn't the whole story, was it, Fabia?" Gus frowned. Fabia shook her head and sighed, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Princess..." Aranaut said quietly. Fabia gave him a forced smile in an attempt to console him, but it didn't have the desired effect.

"In the dream I had while I was unconscious, Kazarina had summoned me back to Gundalia, and she blinded me. Barodius was there, too, but his voice sounded much deeper... and more guttural. And his breath is disgusting." She shuddered. "They told me that they wanted Drago's powers, and I was resisting, then they shocked me with their lightning. Geez, that hurt." She rubbed her neck unconsciously, remembering being held against the wall. "Then they told me I had better cooperate because they might hurt Dan more."

"More?!" Marucho repeated, sounding startled. Baron and Jake's eyes both widened and everyone visibly tensed. Fabia gave them all a nervous look.

"Yeah... They said he'd had an "unforgettable experience."

"Does that mean they did something that will leave a scar?" Linus asked.

"Or some of her mind-torture?" Paige asked. Ren and Marucho exchanged glances, then all gazes fell towards Drago, who sat on the nightstand beside Fabia's bed.

"Drago?" Marucho asked quietly. "Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet."

"How would you feel if someone important were taken from you and hurt intentionally?" Trister asked Marucho bluntly. Marucho bit his lip and turned his blue gaze toward Drago nervously.

"It's a horrible feeling," Drago said quietly. The whole room was dead silent as they listened to him speak. "To know that Dan is out there somewhere, and I can't help him. It's just like when I was the Perfect Core and watched all of my friends fall at the hands of the Vestals." Ace, Gus, Keith and Baron all lowered their gazes in shame. "Only this time, it is much worse. There is no one there to help Dan the way the Resistance fought for my comrades, and Dan is my closest friend."

"Is this like when you watched Wayvern...?" Marucho asked softly.

"It's worse. When Wayvern asked me to kill her and take the Infinity Core, I could at least justify my actions, even though I never wanted to hurt her in the first place. I loved Wayvern. I still do," Drago murmured. "But knowing that Dan is suffering because I don't surrender my powers, even though I know if I do, I'll be hurting everyone else, that is a pain unlike any other. It is as if Dan is being slowly killed in front of me, and I can't do a thing."

"Drago," Aranaut said quietly. Drago shifted his position to look at Aranaut, who had been joined by Runanoid.

"Please know that we were once in the same position as you," Rubanoid said quietly. Linus nodded from his seat beside Fabia's bed.

"Yes. We have all experienced the loss of either a partner Bakugan or Brawler," Linus agreed solemnly. "I never wanted Neo to die, but he did his duty and entrusted his power to you. I can justify and honor his sacrifice because I trust in your judgement and the just use of the Element."

"Sid gave his life so that Ren would be able to redeem himself in the eyes of the emperor, and maybe have the time to realize that he was on the wrong side," Rubanoid said. "He also gave his life so that I would be able to continue living, and avenge him by taking down those who had made him suffer so much."

"I allowed myself to dwell in the guilt of loosing Jin. Of being unable to protect the one I should have been able to protect, no matter the cost," Aranaut said. "I didn't mention him because his memory caused Princess Fabia pain, but I continued to fight for him. Drago, the three of us have felt the loss that you should not have to feel. I promise you, we will do everything in our power to keep you from feeling that pain."

"Yes," Rubanoid agreed. Linus nodded, his lips set in a fine line of determination. Fabia's eyes sparkled with tears, and she nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Drago said softly.

Suddenly, the door to the room they were in opened, startling all of the brawlers in the room. The next sound that reached them was hysterical sobbing, followed by soft, soothing sounds.

Alice and Mira were attempting to console Julie, who was limping into the room. The two were supporting her as best they could by bracing her arms in their own. Julie was crying hard, large, fat tears streaming down her face.

"Shh, shh, calm down," Alice was saying as she led Julie over to the bed that was a few feet away from Fabia's. All of the brawlers that had been in the room before their arrival stared on in surprise, until Drago flew over to see what the commotion was about.

"What's wrong?" he asked fearfully, floating in front of Julie. She couldn't speak, only gasped and then burst out sobbing again. Alice and Mira glanced at Marucho frantically.

"Can you please divert the signal from her Baku-Meter a screen in here?" Alice asked quietly. "She got a message that you all need to see." Alice's grim tone made Marucho nervous, and he scrambled to do as she asked. Ten seconds later, a screen was floating in the center of the room, and all attention in the room was focused on it.

Almost at once, the looks on everyones faces changed from varying degrees of nervousness to shock, and the one who had experienced the worst of it was Julie. At one look at the screen she had again let out a wail, then buried her face in her hands.

The video playing showed a girl with long blue hair strapped to a chair, staring around in fear. Her eyes were bloodshot, her skin pale, and her eyes rimmed by dark purple half-moons. She was wearing a skin tight, dark blue cami and jeans, and a white sweatshirt with black wings printed on the back laid on the ground nearby. There was a purplish bruise forming on her unwounded cheek, and that combined with the bright lighting made her appear sickly.

Then, a blue skinned, white clad woman stepped into the frame, keeping her back to the camera. She stood a bit to the side, so that Runo was still visible in the frame. She addressed Runo with a coldness that could only be attributed to a snake. "Now then, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Which would you prefer?"

"Damn you!" Runo snarled, her body jerking forward with the force of her outburst.

Kazarina chuckled. "Now, now, is that the right response? I'm feeling merciful, maybe we'll try this one more time? You're quite pretty when you're not beaten up like this. So, how about we try again?"

"Leave me alone!" Runo cried. "Let Joe go!" Shun and Marucho gasped, drawing the gazes of their fellow brawlers like lightning.

"Wrong answer, I'm afraid." Nothing could disguise the sheer, inhuman glee in her voice as she snapped her fingers. Runo's screams filled the room, making Julie hyperventilate as she pressed her hands over her ears. Alice, who was standing next to her, clamped her own hands over Julie's, despite her obvious distress. When Mira glanced at her, she could see tears in her eyes, and her own started to prick.

"Why is she doing this to her?" Marucho cried out as he dropped to his knees. Tears fell from his eyes and his glasses fogged up, but he made no move to clear them. Hearing the horror was enough, he didn't need to see it too. He got no response.

The screaming subsided to be replaced with Runo's frantic panting, and Coredom made a small sound. He had turned away from the screen, just as Jake was watching it with a horror-stricken look on his face. It was like he couldn't bear to watch, but couldn't bear to look away either. Shun glanced away from Jake and back at the screen with enough information to assume that Kazarina had done something like this to him.

Kazarina was now chuckling again, and she stepped forward so that she stood in front of Runo. The view on the screen shifted so that the angle was on their left side. The glee-filled smirk on Kazarina's face was absolutely sickening, and when Runo lifted her gaze, she fixed it on something behind the woman despite the wetness of her eyes.

"Now, just look into my eyes, and all of this will go away," the witch said silkily. The group stiffened. "You won't have to worry about anything anymore, and you won't even be sad."

"I'd rather die," Runo spat.

"That's too bad." Kazarina sounded less sadistic and slightly irritated, but the malevolent laugh that erupted from her lips was enough for the brawlers to tell that she was still enjoying this.

Shun exchanged a glance with a clearly confused and nauseated Fabia. "How did she know not to look into that witch's eyes?" Plytheon asked no one in particular. The terrible awe that even he felt couldn't be kept out of his voice.

When her screams turned to breaths again, Kazarina began to circle her chair, stopping behind it. Her clawed fingers circled around the back of it, and she leaned over so that her face was near Runo's. Sweat glimmered on the girl's brow, mingling with her tears.

"Come now," the woman enticed, reaching one hand down so that she lightly trailed her nails along Runo's neck. Runo squeezed her eyes shut as more tears fell. "Why are you putting yourself through this? Just one action could spare you from this pain. And erase so much more..." Kazarina came around the chair again, taking Runo's chin in her hand just like she had Fabia's.

"Tsk, you and Princess Fabia are so much alike, it's almost unnerving." Her tone could now be considered conversational, if not for the sly edge to her words. Runo shuddered, but kept her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Now now, I think you'll come to regret that, don't you?" Suddenly, Runo's eyes shot open, and another scream pierced the air. The only other sound besides it was Kazarina's fiendish cackle as she stepped away from the thrashing teen.

"You brought this upon yourself!"

"Leave me alone!" Runo shrieked, and two cries of her name, one male and one female, rose.

"She still has Splight and Tigrerra?" Gus asked.

"Quit putting up such a fuss. This would all be over by now if you'd only been cooperative."

"Then kill me!" Runo screamed.

The scenery changed, melting to form Kazarina standing in a dark room, lighted from behind. Blue light made her skin appear to be glowing, and the white wings on her back looked almost magical. But as everything related to Kazarina, they also had a cold malevolence, and the wings only added to her vampirish guise.

"I trust you enjoyed that little performance," she said, her expression completely serious. "I'll leave the outcome of that event to your imaginations. Within the next few days, the result will be apparent.

"Now, when Runo... came to be in our possession," she continued, earning a hiss out of most of the boys, "she had a companion with her. As much as I had wished we did not have to carry around another dead weight, I have found a use for him."

The view of the screen changed to show a thin, messy brown haired boy standing with two people by his side. One was a Nethian, one a Gundalian, and many intakes of breath were heard throughout the room.

"That's the Nethian that attacked us!" Zenet exclaimed.

"That's Joe!" Shun blurted in shock. Marucho's jaw dropped and Baron whipped his head around to look at Shun.

"Joe Brown, the partner of Wayvern, the keeper of the Infinity Core?"

"No..." Drago breathed. "This isn't possible!"

"Joe here will be punished for every attempt to rescue Dan Kuso and the others we have here," the Nethian said in her deep, guttural voice. She was sneering evilly, and Ren clenched his fists.

"Others?" Mason repeated.

"Who else do they have besides Dan, Runo and Joe?" Mira asked.

"Our terms have been relayed through Princess Fabia, so we have no need to explain them here. However, we will be sending instructions for Drago and the rest of you in the near future," Kazarina took control again. Shun snarled. Kazarina smirked. "Enjoy these next few days, Brawlers. It would be a lie to say we won't."

The screen went black and closed, leaving the group in a stunned silence.

It only lasted about five seconds. Shun let out an angry yell, making everyone in the room jump and in some cases yelp. The next thing anyone knew, Marucho's coffee mug lay in a puddle of broken glass and coffee. "Shun!" Fabia and Ren exclaimed. Everyone stared at him in shock as his chest heaved, making the Ventus cape that Mira had presented him with grow shorter and longer with each breath.

"Shun..." Marucho said quietly, and Shun's breathing slowed. After a moment, he straightened up and ran a hand through his hair, then sighed.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that. I just need a moment."

"It's okay Shun," Mira said softly. "You don't need to apologize."

"Everyone, there's something you need to..." Alice started, but Julie's head shot up, and she gave Alice the most awful glare she could. Alice clenched her jaw in discomfort, but tore her gaze away from Julie. Alice now had the attention of everyone in the room, especially Shun's. "I'm sorry, Julie," she said quietly. "There's something you need to know. Dan wrote Runo a letter the night before he disappeared."

"He what?" Keith asked, his eyes narrowed. Alice grimaced.

"How long have you known about this?" Gus asked in that accusing way of his. Alice turned her stricken gaze to him.

"Since Sunday." Her unease was obvious.

"Doesn't this seem like information you'd like to share right away, rather than three days later?" Shun asked. His tone was supposed to be neutral, Alice knew, but he hadn't gotten control back and instead, an accusation slapped her in the face.

"I didn't say anything because Julie and Runo got into a fight over it, and it would have been rude of me to disclose the details of that!" Alice shared, distressed.

"Is that fight the reason why Runo is sitting in that electric chair?" Shun demanded. Alice flinched at his words, but then turned a fiery glare back on him.

"Listen, none of this is any of our faults!" she shouted, taking everyone aback. "Dan's kidnap has set all of us on edge, and look! We're turning on each other and blaming one another for something none of us could have prevented!" Shun looked away, an action Alice didn't fail to miss. Now her voice was sad. "Runo has been hurt more than the rest of us because in that letter, Dan broke up with her."

The gasps that echoed around the room were loud and instantaneous, but Alice pushed forward, her voice back to its normal volume. "And because we've all been losing sleep over this and were at each others throats before that, Runo just lost it. She and Julie yelled at each other, and eventually, Runo ran off. We haven't seen her since, and we sort of assumed she was just trying to figure things out. Her mom called me and asked if she had said anything about going home, so I'm assuming that she tried to catch a plane home. That must have been when she was taken, along with Joe."

The room was silent, but after a moment, Alice continued. "Please. This is not Julie's fault. This is not Shun's fault. This is not my fault, nor is it Drago's. We have to face this challenge just like we did every other one, from Masquerade and Naga to Zenoheld and now Emperor Barodius and his underlings." She looked around at everyone, her sad eyes meeting as many gazes as they could. "I think that we all need a little bit of time to get over this. I'm going to go back to Marucho's house and take a bath or something and just calm down, so anyone that wants to join me is welcome. Just... look. There's nothing we can do about it at the moment, when we're all at each others throats. So at six, we should all meet in the dining room and we can have dinner together. Let's just try to have a normal night, and then we can worry about Dan again tomorrow."

"Alice is right, you know," Mira pointed out. "We're never going to get anything accomplished if we are trying to blame one another for the faults of our enemies."

"I have to agree," Keith said.

"Me too," Ren nodded. "Those of you that need to blow of steam in a battle, you can go ahead. Marucho, maybe you should shut down Bakugan Interspace for maintenance, that way you can focus on just finding Dan." Marucho wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"I'll think about it Ren," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted," Shun said, bowing his head. "It was wrong of me, and using the stress from Dan's disappearance as an excuse is not acceptable because I should not have let my anger rule me. Please excuse me." He walked out then, Hawktor and Taylean floating after him. The group watched him leave in silence, and when the doors shut, Drago sighed.

"Things couldn't possibly get any worse," he sighed. "This has to be as bad is it can get."

"Drago, I only hope that you're right," Linus replied quietly, his expression stony. "If you're wrong..."

"Don't even go there," Drago warned him. "Don't even go there."

**Okay, I am so, so SO sorry! I thought that I would be able to update much sooner than I did, but I guess that school and writers block just hit me hard... I'm sorry everyone, and seriously, if I don't update within two months again, someone has to come and smack me until I do. School is starting again soon, and I have to spend the next three weeks reading summer reading books and getting new uniforms and all that good stuff. I adapted my original idea for this story so that I have more breathing room, so hopefully things will go better now.**

**I have been getting more into my writing and art now, so I'll be writing a lot more! And seriously, if I don't update, harass me here or on DeviantArt. I love all of you guys because I'm still getting alerts that people are subscribing to this story, and it means so much to me! I really need to update for you guys more often, and I'm really sorry I haven't been doing that in the past. Please forgive me!**


	17. Breaking Point

**"The tears are falling freely now, and I don't care if he sees them. They're tears of relief for my nephew, worry for my grandfather and my brother, and shame for my mistake. I figure I earned them." **

**― Theresa R. Funke, V for Victory**

* * *

><p>Dan let out a pained yelp as Mylene rubbed his arm furiously with a washcloth soaked in antiseptic. His eyes sparkled, but no raindrops fell. He hissed as the burns split and blood gushed forth, staining the already crimson cloth even further.<p>

"Damn that hurts," he hissed, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut. Shadow was holding onto Dan's uninjured arm while Hydron kept his hands clamped around Dan's left wrist, keeping his arm extended. Mylene, who had somehow gotten her hands on medical gloves, was now wringing out the washcloth again after dipping it in a basin of cool water. On her other side, she had a bottle of what Dan assumed was alcohol from the way it stung.

This was the second session they had had to try to disinfect his burns after they found him unconscious on his bed. When they woke him up, he had no idea how he had gotten into the bed when he was still soaking wet and not wearing any clothes, but the first thing he had done was scream from the pain in his arm. That was when Mylene noticed exactly how swollen it was and started to get as much of the burned, dead skin off as she could. After that, it had felt much better, and Dan was able to get some sleep. Now she just wanted to minimize infection and forced him into these sessions.

He groaned as she raked the washcloth up and down his arm again, and squirmed to try to stop the pain. "Agh!" he yelled before ripping his hand from Hydron and Mylene, both of who shot him a glare.

"We're trying to help," she snapped before grabbing it again. Dan gave her a look.

"Yeah, and I appreciate that, but god, that freaking _hurts_!"

"Yeah, we kinda got that idea when you kicked me in the face!" Hydron shot back, rubbing his darkened chin before tightening his grip on Dan's wrist. Dan sighed.

"I already apologized, but I'll do it again: I'm sorry. It hurts!"

"We get it," Shadow sighed. "Mylene, can we please shut him up? Pretty please?" She sighed.

"Dan, if you keep complaining, we'll get one of Shadow's socks and stuff it down your throat. It'll go a lot faster if you quit interrupting us."

"You say that now, you'd agree with me if you were the one that got branded," Dan grumbled, but shut his mouth anyway.

"Do all humans do this?" Myriad Hades, who sat on Shadow's shoulder, asked. The three Vestals turned their gazes to Dan, but then Mylene dragged the washcloth up and down his arm again. He hissed, but tried to find Myriad Hades so he could answer.

"Do what?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Ow, ow!"

"Shut up already! Don't make me gag you!" Mylene growled. Dan stiffened and hissed as she rubbed the alcohol along the wounds, then yelled out in pain.

"Stop people when they're trying to help because of pain?" Hades continued.

"Probably! AGH! Shit, Mylene!"

"Lync!" Mylene shouted. "Get something to shut Dan up!"

"You know, you seem to be really angry today," Hydron muttered as he pulled back on Dan's wrist, trying to keep it in one spot as she mopped up the blood that was seeping from the wound.

"I am not," Mylene denied, shooting Hydron a malicious glare. "I'm just getting really annoyed by Dan stopping me all the time."

"No, Hydron's right," Shadow agreed. Mylene glanced at him, wringing out the washcloth above the reddish water. "You're much more angry than normal. Kinda like the way you used to act."

"Can we talk about my personality issues later? Lync!" she yelled. "Get in here!"

"Geez, calm down, Mylene," the pink haired teenager muttered, holding a towel. "You might be interested to know that I was monitoring something on the computer."

"Is it more important than getting this guy to shut up and let me help him?" Lync blinked.

"What's eating you?" he asked, a trace of his old way of speaking leaking into his voice. "And yes, it is more important than getting him to shut up." Mylene and the others glanced at him weirdly, and Mylene's alcohol-soaked washcloth stopped just shy of Dan's arm.

"Thank god," he sighed. She shot him a glare, but then turned her attention back to Lync.

"What's going on?"

"We're getting signal readings that seem to be originating from Earth on the computers we protected!"

"What?" the four brawlers in the room exclaimed. Dan scrambled from his position on the floor to his feet and ripped his arms from Shadow and Hydron's grasps. He sprinted from the room into the computer room, followed swiftly by the ex-Vexos. He skidded to a halt behind Volt's computer, making him glance up at Dan in mild surprise.

"Lync, I thought I told you not to tell them until-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I thought this was more important than ripping skin off Dan's arm and hearing him yell from down the hallway," Lync muttered, cutting Volt off. The larger male sighed as Lync took his seat nearby. Dan followed Lync and stared over his shoulder at the pulsing circle in the lower left hand corner of the screen.

"Is that the transmission?" he asked. Lync didn't respond at first, instead took the time to divert the image on his screen to the screen on the wall. Dan quickly moved to the camera in the wall and stood in front of it, hoping to conceal what they were doing from the Gundalians. If he got another branding, he knew he'd regret doing that, but at the moment, he needed to see if they could contact his friends. If they could, he'd take whatever punishment they gave him with a smile.

"I was analyzing it for video when Mylene yelled at me to get something to shut your mouth with." A window came up with a streaming bar on the bottom, and Dan's fists clenched. Immediately after that, he let the fingers on his left hand unfold. It was almost like something inside his arm was pushing at the skin, and the pain was rather intense.

Thirty seconds later, the entire screen was filled with random text, Vestal symbols, and numbers. Dan stared at it in confusion while Lync bit his lip, typing seemingly random commands into the computer.

"It's not video," Sid said from where he was sitting at the table. He was watching the text scroll down the screen with disinterest. "Is that a beacon?"

"A probing message?" Shadow asked. He looked up at the ceiling and rubbed at his hair. Dan was beginning to suspect that Shadow saw things on the ceiling from the number of times the guy did that. "Again?"

"Again?" Dan repeated, shooting a hopeful glance at Shadow. "You mean you've gotten these signals before?"

"We got them once, a little over a month ago," Volt said.

"That was before these freak shows showed up, but a little before Sid did," Shadow smirked.

"I'm glad to see that I'm not included in the,"freak show" description," Sid muttered, but still sported a small sneer.

"Well, we know that they have to be real freaks if Shadow's calling them a freak show," Hydron pointed out from where he was leaning against the other camera. Shadow gave him an insane grin before jumping up on the table and sitting there.

"What can I say? I'm one of a kind!" he cackled. Dan stared at him.

"I guess that's one way to put it... What's a probing message... uh, beacon, anyway?"

"It's a message that can be accepted on any computer server that is able to intercept signals like them," Mylene explained, pulling the bloodied gloves off her hands so that they were inside out inside each other. "Basically, if someone wanted to see if a planet had the technological capabilities to harbor life or aid them, they'd send out a signal like that. Distress signals work in a similar manner, except with a specific purpose."

"So, if we send out a distress signal, they'd be able to pick up our signal?" Dan asked. Mylene gave him a hardened look.

"We tried in the beginning, but our signals were blocked. We also didn't have specific coordinates or a signal path to lock onto and hijack. We could try again, since they protected the computer from complete shutdown and now we have this signal, and maybe we'll get lucky, but the odds aren't very good."

"Well we have to try!" Dan exclaimed. "We have a path we can use! What's the simplest message we can send?" The others stared at him for a moment, surprised by his insistence.

"Um, it would probably be a distress signal," Volt stated, still looking a bit taken aback. "Do you think the Brawlers found our location?"

"I don't know, maybe they did," Dan shrugged and made a fist with his right hand. His expression hardened into a glare, which he swept around the room. "We can't just pass up this opportunity, regardless of whether or not it was Marucho!"

The computer beeped, earning a "Huh?" out of Lync, who hurried to type commands into it. A new window popped up on the screen in the center of the room, featuring several more lines of seemingly random text, numbers and symbols. This time, though, another window popped up, this time sporting a video clip. His jaw dropped, as did the jaws of all the others in the room.

The video showed Keith and Ren standing in a metal filled room, screens rotating behind them. The computer-table was in the center of the room, and Mira, Alice and Dr. Michael were punching keys on it. "Greetings," Keith said.

"Spectra?" Mylene breathed.

"You have received this message because the signal of a black Dimensional Gate has been traced to this planet," Ren announced. Dan's mouth dropped open.

"We know for sure that two Vestals have been transported to this location via this Dimensional Gate, and it is of our concern whether or not they are alive," Keith stated. His expression was completely serious, just as serious as it had been when he told the Brawlers about the Alternative. Dan pursed his lips. "Their names are Mylene Farrow and Shadow Prove."

"If you are aware of the whereabouts of these individuals, please contact us," Ren said in his calm, soft spoken manner. "And please contact them."

"Thank you," Keith said, and then the screen closed.

The group stared at the message in a dumbfounded silence for a moment, then Lync and Volt turned back to the computes. After trying to punch in several commands, Lync gasped and Volt let out a sigh. Lync ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips before trying to hit several more keys, but Dan and the others had already sensed that something was wrong.

"What's the problem?" Hydron asked as he twisted his a lock of hair around his finger. Dan tensed at Lync's lack of response.

"What's wrong?" Mylene questioned.

"Our SOS won't go through," Lync replied, sounding nervous. "Do you think-?"

"Nice try, brawlers," Kazarina's voice filtered through the intercom. Dan flinched, as did some of the others. Mylene growled and Sid looked absolutely murderous. "A futile attempt, I'm afraid."

"What do you want, Kazarina?" Volt asked calmly.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you," Gill muttered, and then a screen appeared in the center of the room. Gill, Kazarina, Stoica and Airzel were all standing together, along with a young man with light brown, unruly hair. Dan stared at the teen in confusion and fear. This was a human... and he looked familiar!

"I think you know who this is, don't you, Dan?" Stoica snickered. Dan stepped away from the camera, keeping his right hand over his still bleeding arm, and toward the screen. The teen, who was being held between Gill and Airzel, smiled weakly at Dan.

"Hey... sorry about this," he said. Dan's eyes widened.

"J-Joe?!"

"H-hi..."

"Wha-how-what are you doing here?!" Dan demanded, slamming both hands down on the table. Immediately he regretted it. He yanked his left hand off as though he had been burned, grimacing at the pain that shot up his arm. Airzel and Stoica smirked in satisfaction as Dan returned his bloodied hand to the wound, and he hissed.

"I'm sorry, Dan. They tricked us."

"Us?" Dan's face contorted into anger. "Barodius! What the hell are you trying to do? You already have me, why do you need him? Joe has nothing to do with his!"

"I beg to differ, Kuso." Barodius's voice filtered through the room, but the puppetmaster himself was not on the screen. Dan was so angry, though, that he missed the guttural, echoing edge to his enemy's words.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Dan demanded. "I understand taking me, but Joe and Mylene and the others? They have nothing to do with this! Let them go!"

Kazarina chuckled before wrapping her arm around Joe's shoulders. The teen stiffened, then gasped when she pressed her index finger against his jugular. Dan and the others in the room hissed while she slowly stroked his neck. "Now now, Dan," she taunted, pulling him close to her. Joe winced and held his arms out to keep his balance. Kazarina sneered, then lifted her free hand so that it rested just above Joe's shoulder. "I suggest you hold your tongue. Otherwise, Joe will find himself in a rather... painful situation." Electrical charges at once began to course down her hand. Joe gasped and jerked backward, but the witch kept her in place. Kazarina chuckled maniacally.

Dan growled. "Leave him alone!" he yelled. "I don't care what you do to me, just leave Joe and the others alone!"

"Quiet!" Gill warned. "Listen to what we have to say, and he won't be harmed." Dan hissed, but held his tongue this time. "Good."

"Dan, we have taken two important things from you," Airzel said. "Joe here is one of them. The other is not your immediate concern."

Dan's mind raced in horrible fear. What-or who- else had they taken? His fists clenched, even his left. The pain, which was like a raging fire, was the only thing keeping him sane. All eyes in the room were on Dan as the Gundalians continued.

"Unless you cooperate, those things will be harmed," Gill said. "But in a few days, they, and your friends with you there, may just have the opportunity to escape."

"What?" Dan and the others exclaimed.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" Shadow cried.

"Are you toying with us or are you actually serious?" Hydron asked, coming away from his position on the wall to stand beside Dan. He was twirling his lock of hair absently and rested the elbow of that arm in his right hand.

"Oh, we're deadly serious," Stoica snickered. "But on top of that, we have a deal to offer you! What do you say, Dan?" Dan hissed, his yellowing teeth clearly visible.

"You have to give us your full and utter cooperation until we receive the powers of the Sacred Orb," Barodius growled. Dan's nails dug into his hands so hard that he could feel the stickiness of his blood wetting his fingertips. "And you _will_ give us the powers of the Sacred Orb."

Dan growled, just as his shoulders began to shake from his anger. Stoica and Kazarina chuckled, Gill and Airzel smirked, and Joe had a murderous expression on his face.

"Don't do it, Dan!" Joe yelled. Kazarina's hand began glowing with electricity again, and Joe's eyes widened slightly, but he continued with a strong voice. "I can only speak for myself, but I don't think whoever was with me would want the universe to fall into the hands of these psycho's!"

"Shut up," Stoica snarled, elbowing Joe as hard as he could in the stomach. The teen let out a grunt of pain and grimaced, but still raised his defiant gaze to fix itself on what Dan couldn't see.

"He doesn't remember?" Shadow muttered softly to Mylene. She gave the screen a confused look, and Dan let out a yell, making her and the others start. "Huh?"

"Dammit!" Dan's voice cracked. "Dammit! Why are you doing this to us?"

"Heh, what do you know? King Kuso looks like he's gonna cry!" Stoica jibed. Dan let out an animalistic snarl and slammed his left fist down on the table. The agony that shot up his arm like a cannonball made him scream out, dropping to his knees as he clutched his arm. Pain shot up his legs and back as well as all the other bruises on his body. His eyes stung from an alien wetness, but when he opened them, the liquid that he had expected to be there was gone.

"I'll give you a little while to think it over," Gill said, and the connection closed. Dan stared up at the place where the screen had been, conscious of the gazes of his allies as though it was a physical sensation.

"Dammit," he hissed. "Dammit! What the hell? What the hell do they want from _me_?"

"Dan," Lync said quietly. The Vexos and Sid all watched him silently, either with sympathetic eyes or angry ones. After a moment, Dan slowly got to his feet, his eyes devoid of emotion.

"Dan?" Volt asked. Dan didn't acknowledge his call. Instead, he slowly and painfully made his way to the door. Before he could make it out, though, Hydron's hand closed around his right wrist. Dan stopped, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground below his feet.

The teen watched him for a moment with serious eyes before Dan began to sway. Hydron's eyes widened as he quickly moved to support the injured seventeen year old, pressing one hand around Dan's left shoulder. Lync started to get up to help when Hydron shook his head, and the pink haired teen stopped.

Slowly, Hydron helped Dan leave the transmission room and make his way to his own room. Each step seemed to be a great feat all of a sudden, and Hydron was surprised. This Dan was the complete opposite of the one that had been with them ten minutes ago, grinning even though he was a captive at the mercy of ruthless freaks of nature. Now, each movement seemed to bring this teen pain, no matter how small or slight. Hydron wouldn't admit it, but the feeling that was growing in his stomach seemed to be returning from three years ago.

Gently, Hydron helped Dan sit down on his bed. The door closed behind them, preventing any sound that might leak out from doing so. Dan nodded up at him silently, and when Hydron got a look at his eyes, he was shocked by the sheer and utter hopelessness that lurked there. It was like nothing he had ever seen before.

"Dan, are you okay?" were, ironically, the words that poured from his mouth. Dan averted his despondent gaze, and Hydron put a hand gingerly on his shoulder. "Hey. Come on. I know it's a stupid question, but are you okay?"

"Hydron, what do you think?" Dan asked, a small spark of anger showing through his expressionless mask. "Of course I'm not okay! They could have hurt him, and whatever else they took... What if they took Runo?"

Hydron's gaze had been serious and concerned, but now morphed into surprise. "That blue haired girl? So she really was your girlfriend?"

"Why 'wa-oh... yeah, she was..."

Hydron's eyebrows creased. "What happened?"

"It's nothing, really," Dan said quickly as he tried to avoid the question. "But-"

"Dan, what aren't you telling me?" Hydron prodded. Dan's eyes narrowed. "Its obvious that you don't want to talk about it, but it's important that you say what's wrong if you have the opportunity."

"How would you know?" The hard, steely edge to his words was clearly meant to slice through Hydron's persistence, but he wasn't fazed. "It's not like you've ever been in this position. You were a prince."

"You had no idea, did you?" Anger had fixed itself in the former prince's voice. "Everyone assumes I had it so great. 'You were a _prince.'_ 'You had everything you ever wanted.'" Dan glanced back at his bitter tone, a trace of surprise glimmering in his eyes. Hydron scowled. "Tell me, Dan, did you ever expect that I had to put up with what you're going through now? Except my _father_ was the perpetrator?" Dan stared at him, at his dark facial expression and fists that were clenched so tightly that the knuckles were white. He lifted his gaze in astonishment.

"There's no way," he began, but Hydron whirled around and ripped off his vest, then the white and orange shirt that had replaced the black, white and orange outfit he had worn before. He yanked the fabric over his head, and Dan's eyes widened in recognition of what he was seeing.

Raised, thick scars criss-crossed all over Hydron's pale back, and when Dan glanced at what little arm he could see, he noticed a scared ring around his bicep. Then, his eyes returned to the scars. The mind-boggling, horrible discolored marks. His back was full of them, and they ranged from where his shirt was wadded up against the base of his neck to the rim of his pants. Some wrapped around the side of his body and faded from Dan's view, and that was when he noticed that Hydron was shivering a bit.

Dan couldn't speak for the disbelief that choked him. His lips were parted in an eternal expression of that speechlessness. He thought that his own burns, bruises and whip lashes were bad, and the burning on the backs of his legs from Sellon's whip suddenly grew more intense. He was conscious of every wound on his body, from the bloody welts in his palms to the healing lacerations on his wrists, the burns on his arm to the whip lashes on his shoulders and legs. The bruises all over his body pulsed. And yet, the knowledge that Hydron had endured all this from someone he should have been able to trust made his wounds seem like bee stings at worst.

"I..." Dan's feeble attempt at words made Hydron chuckle, and he lowered the shirt easily. He tugged it over his belt and then reached down to where his brown, furry vest laid on the ground.

"You don't need to say anything." Even though he was smirking and his voice was nonchalant, his eyes were still cold. Dan didn't fail to miss that. "I hated you." Dan blinked. "I hated you and I hated Spectra more than you could possibly understand." Hydron's cold eyes had dropped even further in temperature, now rivaling the icy sting of liquid nitrogen. He kept them averted, though, as though aiming them at a person would cause immediate frostbite so severe it would kill. "You and the Brawlers kept me from doing what my father asked, and he blamed me for failing to colonize New Vestroia. He blamed me for losing every battle, and when Lync managed to give Alice the Alternative Data, I was punished. I didn't even get a single word of gratitude for all my work for him, either."

"That's horrible," Dan breathed as he reached for the bloody washcloth, which was floating in the bucket of water on the floor. He watched Hydron glare into the corner with a look of sympathetic sadness on his face, which then contorted into anger. "How can someone do that to their son?" Hydron glanced at him in startled surprise. Dan's loud voice must have bothered him. The grip on the washcloth tightened. "It's just... that's not right, not at all!" Dan looked up, his eyes sparkling. "How can someone do that? A parent is supposed to love their child with everything they have! How can they just shut themselves out of that love and turn to hatred like that?"

"I don't know," Hydron mumbled. He had looked away again.

"Why did you keep fighting for him?" Dan's voice had softened, and Hydron's shoulders stiffened.

"He was my father," he whispered. "And my mother died when I was young. Her last words to me were, "Support him." Thinking about it now, I guess my actions couldn't have been what she meant." Dan shook his head slowly and sighed.

"I guess even on Vestal, people are suffering..." Hydron nodded silently. "And on Gundalia... and I guess Nethia as well." Hydron looked at him as he suddenly rubbed furiously against his burns. His jaw dropped at the force Dan used to wash the blood away, and how he didn't even hiss in pain. His jaw was simply clenched against any sound, and his eyes were narrowed in a wrath reserved only for his enemies.

"What are you doing?" Hydron asked, looking disgusted.

"You told me about your past even though it was painful," Dan said through clenched teeth. Even though he was good about not uttering sounds of his discomfort, the pain still leaked into his voice. "So I think it's only fair I tell you mine. That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?" Hydron said nothing, but the answer still hung in the air, as clear as day. Dan smiled vainly as the fading tan color of his arm reappeared.

"I wrote a letter to Runo the night before I was taken here," he grimaced. "I had just gotten back from Gundalia without telling her I was going. The same way I left her when I came to New Vestroia the first time." Dan's expression darkened. "In it, I wrote that I thought we should break up, and I was going to send it the next day. But even as I went to sleep, I was thinking about it and worrying about how she'd take it."

"Then why send it?" Hydron asked. Dan didn't answer at first, instead dipped the washcloth in alcohol this time before wringing it out and wrapping it around the wound. This time he hissed, obviously trying to resist the temptation to fling the bloodstained cloth across the room.

"I decided not to," he growled, his shoulders shaking. "It was in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep. And after I made that decision, I fell asleep. And then I woke up to the nightmare that landed me here."

"But you didn't send it." Dan shook his head.

"No, I didn't. But the fact that I even considered it disgusts me. And now I might die here, and that letter is still there. I regret it now, and I can't tell her. If I die, then they'll find it for sure, and she'll think that all she ever was to me was some passing thing, and oh my god, she wasn't!"

Dan's eyes, for the first time since he battled against Spectra and Drago, sparkled with tears in the midst of enemies. The enemy was Hydron no longer, but the eyes in the walls, the ones that followed him almost everywhere. "And, god, these bastards are taking the people I love, and they're going to hurt them because I'm trying to do the right thing. That's just..." Dan pursed his lips, his voice breaking, and Hydron stared on in amazement. He never thought Dan would break like this. Dan was falling, and falling hard. "That's just too much, you know?" His voice had suddenly softened, and Dan's fingers tightened around the washcloth.

He wiped his eyes with his undamaged arm, careful not to get the alcohol on his eyes. "I'm not crying because of the pain in my arm," he said. "I'm not crying because these people are hurting me. And I'm not going to deny that I'm crying, because denying it is the weakness, not the tears. I'm crying because I know if I give in, and I really, really want to give in, I'm putting everyone, the people I love, the people fighting to redeem themselves, and all those people with their lives ahead of them in jeopardy! And I don't know if I have the strength to hold up!"

Dan's voice cracked, and Hydron turned his head away. Here was a pure hearted seventeen year old kid, a true hero, the one who had had the strength to pull through every obstacle Hydron and the Vexos, Masquerade and Naga, and all of his other enemies had thrown at him. And now, after being thrown to the ground a million times and getting back up a million and one, the hero was slipping. Dan held the key to salvation in his hands, and it looked like he was losing his grip on it.

"I'm sorry," Dan said quietly after a moment passed, and Hydron was amazed at how he managed to keep his voice mostly steady. "I'm sorry to have to put all that on your shoulders." Hydron stared at him.

Dan had fixed his gaze on Hydron's boots and looked up when they were obscured from his view by his knees. Hydron looked up at Dan from where he was down on one knee on the ground. He reached up, placing one hand on Dan's shoulder. Dan's unusually wet eyes, though dryer than a moment before, opened a bit more.

"Dan, you don't have to apologize," he said, sounding nothing like the snobby, spoiled prince Dan had known at one point in time. Hydron smiled. "In situations where you think you have no one and the world is crashing down, you need to talk about it. You need to know you have friends to lean on." Dan gaped at him, and the blond smirked. "I won't tell, but you know, you can lean on us now. We're not the same people we used to be. We can all kinda tell that you're nervous about trusting us after all we've done, even though it's barely noticeable." Dan gave him a sheepish grin and slight, nervous laugh. "Trust us. We'll help. I mean, to the best of our ability."

"Thanks man," Dan whispered, forcing a smile. Hydron smirked, lowering his hand so that it was poised in front of him.

"When we get out of here, I have first dibs on a brawl." Dan took his hand.

"Fine by me, pal!"

* * *

><p><strong>Man, it feels SOOOO good to be back! Writing has never felt this good ^_^ I hope I can write like this for a while longer. For the next few weeks, I'm going to be getting freaked out by school starting (I go back on the 29th or 30th or something of August, which is really annoying) and scrambling to do my summer reading, because I haven't done it yet... You know, just classic teenage procrastination for ya!<strong>

**I hope I didn't make the Vexos and Dan seem to OOC, please tell me if that's what it seems like. It's kinda hard to figure out exactly how he'd react to this situation...**

**Review!**


	18. Betrayal

**"The worst pain in the world goes beyond the physical. Even further beyond any other emotional pain one can feel. It is the betrayal of a friend." -Heather Brewer, Ninth Grade Slays**

The masked girl sat at the table in Bakugan Interspace, slowly rolling the small, white sphere between her fingers. Her legs were propped up on the chair across the table, despite the fact that she was wearing a skirt. It didn't matter, though. She wore shorts underneath that anyway.

She adjusted her position so that she was sitting upright but her cape got pinned against the back of the chair. She tugged on it absently and it came free, but it caused the satin white fabric that had been placed over her blue bun to be displaced. In irritation, the girl adjusted it again, setting the golden headband the veil was attached to in the correct position. The warmed metal that lined the back of her neck shifted, and a cooler portion made her shiver and bite her tongue. After that, she pulled out a compact mirror and straightened the thin, translucent fabric that covered her lower face.

Her golden eyes, she noticed, still had small traces of redness lining the irises. After a moment of staring at the redness and realizing that she still couldn't place where it was from, she folded up the mirror and slid it into the pocket of her shorts.

Rin stood up and glanced around, tucking the Bakugan ball into the pocket that didn't house the mirror. She knew that Splight didn't like to be pressed against hard things, especially metal. Even though she couldn't remember being told that, and she knew that Splight didn't talk, her muscle memory still abided by the rule.

As she walked away from the virtual cafe in Interspace, sipping the last of a latte, she leisurely made her way toward the commons. It was time to see if her request for a battle this afternoon had been processed.

She kept her chin up as she walked, her back and shoulders straight. Just that action alone made her cape flare out dramatically, and her skirt ruffled in the slight breeze conjured by her movement. The boots on her feet gave her an extra two inches in height, and even though her mistress had assured her that she had been wearing heels her whole life, Rin still stumbled every so often.

But despite that, she still attracted the gazes of the nearby brawlers. Almost every one of the plainly clothed amateurs turned their heads to get a look at the regal, masked brawler who had only just shown up today. Whispers were hissed about her, about her veil, cape, and attribute pendant that was fixed just upon the neckline of her shirt. About her oddly colored eyes. Nothing about the redness that so faintly lined that liquid metal, though.

A few girls nearby were murmuring to each other about how expensive the outfit looked. The girl in the head, with a dark mop of curls, had her back to Rin, yet continually glanced back at her. Her eyes were blue, a sharp contrast to Rin's yellow gaze. Rin stopped, masking this action as tossing her empty coffee cup in the garbage and not liking the look the girl was giving her in the slightest. It was a steely, challenging gaze. Defiant, although what she was defying was a mystery to Rin.

After a few moments, the girls moved away, throwing cold glares back at her. The blue haired girl gave them a chilling glance in return, but she continued on her way. Her jaw clenched unconsciously, but she quickly let it relax. The slight discoloration that was forming underneath the burns on along her chin was sufficiently masked, she assured herself. Even though the translucent purple face veil fell from just beneath her eyes to about an inch below her chin, she couldn't help but be nervous that the dark red burns would be noticed.

Her mistress had said they were punishment for her acting out earlier that day, and it was from that struggle that she lost her memory. Rin wasn't surprised. It made sense, after all, with all the bruises and electrical burns that snaked over her skin. Her arms were covered in the same mesh-like material as her face veil, effectively concealing the spiderweb like markings and other discolorations. Thankfully, none had been transferred to the exposed parts of her legs.

It was now that Rin realized that she had reached the center of the commons, where three screens rotated around each other. One showed the battle that was currently taking place: Shun Kazami against some brawler ranked fifteen. The unnamed boy was getting hammered.

The screen to the right of this one showed a warning message about a battle arena that was closed for restorations, and then it's content switched to show another battle currently taking place. This one showed an orange haired girl dressed in brown brawling with a Sub-Terra Bakugan against a girl with green eyes. She was brawling with an Aquos Bakugan and seemed to be giving the Sub-Terra battler some trouble, but somehow, Rin got the feeling the Sub-Terra girl was going to win.

And the last screen showed the battle lineup. That was the one that Rin focused her attention on. Her hand ducked underneath her skirt and dipped into her pocket, fishing out Splight again. Her eyes scanned the screen quickly, searching for her name. It took her a few moments, but they locked onto the bar with her name on it.

"Rin Vs. Ace Grit of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers." The battle was to take place at 7:30 that evening.

Rin smirked. This would be interesting.

* * *

><p>"Ace?"<p>

Ace glanced toward the door of the waiting room at the sound of Mira's voice. He tugged the glove on completely before getting to his feet and giving her a confused look.

"What are you doing here?"

"Wow, that's awfully cold," she grinned, crossing the distance between them. She seated herself on the bench to the left of where Ace was standing, casting a slight gray shadow on the white floor and bench. Her cape fluttered as she placed her hands behind her on the edge of the bench, and she flashed him a smile. He returned it and bent down to zip up his boots, but as his back made that downward motion, he caught the smile dying on her lips.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He glanced up in surprise, noticing how quickly her expression darkened. His fingers paused at the top of the first zipper, which he had completed, before yanking the other one up and straightening upright.

"What's up Mira?" he questioned, sitting himself beside her. His arm came around her back so that his left hand rested on her left arm, pulling her close. She fell against him gently, molding perfectly against his frame. Her head rested on his chest, and her free hand laced her fingers through his. He smiled despite her serious demeanor and breathed in the sweet, honey-like scent of her hair.

"Ace... I just... this is all getting so out of hand," she whispered, rubbing her thumb against the skin of his hand. Instantly, Ace's mood dropped. "Can't you feel it? It's just... Without Dan here..."

"I know what you mean," he murmured, rubbing his own thumb against the bare skin of her upper arm. "He always acted like an idiot, and at first, that was annoying."

"Really annoying," Mira agreed with a small, smothered giggle. Her shoulders relaxed as she delved into her memories of the good old days. "I kept wondering if it would even be possible for us to beat my brother and the Vexos, even though Dan was a strong battler. He acted really silly all the time. I couldn't tell if he was taking it seriously."

"I know, right?" Ace chuckled. "But after his first battle with Gus, I think we all noticed a change in him."

"Yeah... He got much more dedicated."

"He was pretty dedicated to start with, wasn't he?" Wilda asked, popping out of his ball on the bench beside Mira.

"Yeah, he was," Mira agreed. "Remember we thought he'd lose to Lync and Volt right of the bat?"

"We thought that way because he was a human," Ace nodded. "Boy, were we wrong!" Mira giggled softly, but then pulled herself into an upright position next to Ace. She let go of his hand only to encase the other in the warmth of it.

"It's only been a week, but already, the Brawlers are fractured," she said quietly. Her eyes were sad, but no tears sparkled. The only time in the past three years Ace had seen Mira cry had been when she learned that there might be a way to find Mylene and Shadow. Those had been tears of relief, because both she and Keith had felt responsible for their fates.

"Only a week, huh?" Ace sighed, turning his gaze down to the floor. "Only that long..."

"I know. It seems like it's been a month or something..." Her hand constricted around his. "We have to find him."

"I know," Ace agreed. "But it's a really crummy feeling when you know you're doing your best and-."

"-it's not good enough," they said together. Mira and Ace locked gazes, both sad, both determined. Both mirrors of each other.

They sat together for a few more minutes before Percival popped out of his ball beside Ace, moving to float in front of him. "Ace, I apologize for interrupting, but our battle will be starting shortly."

Ace nodded. "Thanks Percival," he said. His voice had gone from polite, worried sorrow to confident almost disturbingly quickly, but Mira was used to it. She stood up and gave him an encouraging smile. He smirked up at her as he also straightened up, pulling his sleeves up and tugging on his white gloves again.

"Who are you fighting?" Mira questioned.

"This new brawler named Rin. Apparently she joined the ranks of Interspace battlers today. She's got a cape and is supposedly masked." Mira stared at him in mild surprise.

"Masked?" she repeated. Ace nodded, adjusting his sleeves and then picking up his cape from the bench.

"Can you help me with this?" he asked. Mira moved behind him fluidly to secure the cape beneath the shoulder pads of his vest, and all the while, Ace noted from the mirror that the troubled expression on her face never left. He extended his arms to the side while she did her thing, and then she pushed them back down. Ace turned around to face her, not the least bit taken by surprise when her lips came and lightly kissed his cheek.

"Please be careful," she murmured in his ear after she had wrapped her arms around his neck. "If the Brawlers have bad luck with anything, it's opponents with masks."

"The Brawlers with masks caused a bit of trouble, too," Ace grinned. "That's how we took Alpha city."

"That just proves my point!" Mira replied indignantly. She pulled back a bit so that she could glare at him. He grinned at her at first, then he realized she was serious. He blinked.

"Mira?"

"All the masked brawlers are rather powerful. We should know that by now. So, I don't want you to underestimate your opponent. Okay?"

"Okay Mira," he replied, his eyes wide. "I won't, I promise." She nodded, the glare fading from view but the worried creases around her eyes remaining. "Hey..." He reached around his neck to take her hands, bringing them in front of him so that he held them together between them. "I'm going to be fine. Don't worry."

"Sorry," she smiled. "I guess I got a bit carried away. Take 'em down!"

"No problem," he grinned, starting toward the doors. "Gonna watch?"

"I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Ace smirked to himself, satisfied that she sounded like her own self again.

"Good luck, Percival," Wilda called.

"Thank you, Wilda."

"Attention Bakugan Battle fans! The match between the mysterious masked brawler Rin and Ace Grit of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers will now begin!"

Ace and Rin glared at each other from the opposite sides of the field. Their faces appeared on screens above each brawler, magnifying their images for everyone in the arena to see. The roar of the crowd blocked out most noises from their ears, and despite the close up of Rin, her lower face was masked from everyone in the crowd.

"Bakugan field, open!"

The ring of light appeared in the center of the battle area, spreading out in a large circle quickly. A roar erupted from the crowd around them while both battlers dropped their smirks for glares of equal intensity.

"I'll start!" Ace cried. "Gate card, set!" He tossed the card down into the arena, leaping into the air as he did so. When his feet touched the ground again, he was smirking. "You're going down, Rin!"

"We'll see about that," she replied. Her voice echoed and repeated itself a few times before fading. Ace shuddered at the realization that Masquerade's voice had echoed the same way, from what Dan and the other Brawlers had told him. He shook it off, though, and prepared to fight.

"Bakugan brawl!" he shouted, jumping up and flinging the tiny ball into the arena. The force of the throw sent him into a front flip, which he recovered from by landing on his feet. "Darkus Alpha Percival, stand!"

Dark, purple beams of light circled around the Bakugan in a manner eerily similar to a tornado. Rin braced herself, her cape, skirt and veil flapping heavily in the gale conjured by his emergence. Bright violet sparkles surrounded the tornado, and the first things to emerge were Alpha Percival's horns. They come down over his head to point toward his opponent shaped almost like the horns on the Darkus emblem. His head came into view next, shaped exactly the same as his previous evolutions had been. Then, the tornado exploded outward, revealing the spiked armor on his chest and legs. His long purple and red cape hung from the heads on his shoulders, completely still despite the violent torrents buffeting Rin and Ace. Ace, however, didn't seem to be bothered by it.

Rin eyed her opponent with a calculating gaze, sizing him up. Her Baku-Collar showed that he sported a power level of 1200, which was 200 more than her own Bakugan. Rin smirked. For the first battle she could remember, this would be interesting.

"Bakugan, brawl!" She spun, her cape catching the wind gracefully before she shot her Bakugan into the arena. "Bakugan, stand! Rise, Haos Splight!" The Bakugan emerged from its ball with a roar, raising it blunt arms threateningly. Ace's eyes widened despite his eyebrows creasing. Something was wrong here. He could feel it, but what was it?

"Did I do something to upset you? Poor baby," Rin taunted when he didn't do anything but watch with a blank look. Ace hissed.

"You'll be the upset one. Percival!"

"I hear you Ace!"

"Ability, activate! Unpenned Future!" Percival clenched his fists and let out a growl as his body began to glow a beautiful, misty violet color. The energy surrounded him and his cape began to flap slightly.

Rin frowned at her Baku-Collar as Percival's power level jumped up by two hundred points. Her lips then curled into a small smile, and she pulled out a card of her own.

"Ability, activate," she all but whispered. "Volting mirage." Splight let out a sound similar to gas leaking out of a pipe before vanishing into thin air, leaving behind an inky purple cloud to grow. Rin lowered her arm, where the card floated, and smirked as the metallic mist darkened the arena.

Ace hissed as soon as he saw the fog, but once it surrounded him and clung to his clothes like dust, rendering him completely blind, he licked his lips and tasted sulfur. The silence that had grown around him left an annoying ringing in his ears, prompting a growl to escape his throat. "Percival!" he shouted. "Can you hear me?" He got no response, and in nervous anger, he checked the score on his Baku-Collar. Splight had gained 200 points. He was still behind Percival, much to Ace's relief.

"Your move." Ace jumped when Rin's voice echoed through the darkness. Ace hissed.

"What are you playing at?" he yelled.

"Oh, I suppose you're right..." The smug satisfaction in Rin's voice served only to anger Ace further. He growled, glancing from right to left in case the masked girl happened to appear beside him. "You can't make a move right now, can you?"

"Isn't it a little early to make a move like this?" Ace grumbled, holding a hand up in front of his face. It wasn't dark, but he couldn't see it. He shuddered.

"Oh, don't tell me you're going to whine, Ace..." Rin's voice was taunting. She was baiting him. "Looks like you have no choice but to open your Gate Card."

"Agh!" Ace hissed. _How'd she know that I'd have an ability nullifying Gate Card?_ "Fine, you wanna play like this? Gate card, open! Ring Zero!" And just like that, the metallic cloud that smelled of sulfur vanished, revealing a smirking Rin and Splight. Before Ace could react, however, Rin held a hand out.

"Go!" she shouted, a card appearing above her wrist. "Doom slash!"

"What?!" Ace yelped as Splight jumped forward, his claws shooting out of his arms.

"Ace!" Percival warned.

"Agh... Ability, activate! Eternal shield!" Two hundred points suddenly bumped Percival's power level up, and a black, obsidian barricade appeared in front of him. There were numerous facets along it, and each one reflected the oncoming Bakugan like the eyes of an insect.

The claws slammed into the shield with a loud ringing noise similar to a knife being sharpened. After a few tries to get the shield to break, Splight jumped back. His breath came in pants.

"Something's weird here," Ace murmured. He squinted across the battle field at Rin. "Why do I feel like I know her? And why didn't she attack when we couldn't see?"

"Focus Ace!" Percival growled. "Don't let her distract you."

"I'm not distracted! Ability activate! Delta Claymore!"

"Ooh, yes..." the armored, Darkus bakugan chuckled. "This is one of my favorites." A large, amethyst and silver sword appeared in front of Percival in a cloud of yellow, poisonous looking mist. Once again, the smell of sulfur made Ace want to gag, but he bit his tongue. Percival's hand closed around the jeweled black hilt of the weapon, which was hanging horizontally in front of him. In an instant, he had yanked it down so that it was angled out toward the ground to his right.

With his legs spread in a steady stance, Rin could finally get a clear view of all his armor. The plates from the tips of his toes to his knees were dark crimson, lined with silver. Spikes were placed at random places all around them, and the tips were stained in an even deeper red. The color of blood. Where those plates ended, they gave way to Percival's purple legs. Leading from his hips were black plates that overlapped each other along the sides of his calves to his knees, much like Knight Percival. His breastplate was silver, featuring an indigo gem set just over where his breastbone would be if he were a human, and extended to his golden horns shaped like horse shoes. His cape, which was red on the underside and the deepest of purples on the back, was secured over his shoulders by the two heads that mirrored his own, also like his Knight Percival evolution. His arms were protected from his wrists to his elbows, where inky forearm guards covered his skin. Two circlets wrapped around his biceps, defining the muscle there. His eyes glinted in the bright light of the arena, and upon the appearance of the sword, a deafening roar had arisen among the spectators.

"How do you like that?" Ace smirked at Rin. She sneered back.

"Please. You call that a counterattack?" Rin pressed two keys on her Baku-Collar, causing the screen to appear. "Battle gear!" she cried out, snatching the gear out of the air.

"Did she say Battle Gear?" Ace breathed.

"Battle Gear, boost!" Rin shouted, doing a backflip and tossing the gear up in the air using an underhand throw.

The gear appeared after glowing brightly, causing the stands to quiet naturally for the first time since the battle started. Ace hissed as several long chains appeared around Splight, encircling him. They waved in the air, acting like tentacles attached to a triangular backpack fixed on Splight's backside. This feature was gold and white, and every so often it would send a lightning strike out to flow along the chains.

Ace smirked. "Two can play that game!" he shouted. He tapped three keys on his Baku-Collar.

"Ready, Stratus Medley."

"Battle Gear, boost!" Ace yelled, twisting before tossing the Gear into the arena.

Percival's cape glowed before wrapping around his upper arms, melting around the circlets on his biceps and forming sturdy, platinum armor. The armor molded perfectly around the heads on Percival's shoulders before jutting down over his already protective breastplates. There, more spikes appeared, and his stomach was gifted with a layer of silver coating. Percival held out his empty hand, then closed his hand tightly around the solid hilt of a deadly looking black sickle. Percival then crossed them in front of his chest, and Ace was sure that if he were a human he'd be smirking at that moment.

"Impressive," Rin called. "Does it come with extra batteries?"

"Shut up," Ace snarled.

"Battle Gear Ability Level Oxne, activate!" both parties shouted.

"Arbitrary Dimension!" Rin cried.

"Trinity Deimos!" Ace yelled.

Percival braced himself, holding his weapons steady in front of his chest as they began to glow. Splight was silent as each of his chains branched out in random directions, shooting past Percival and instead disappearing in some place far out of sight. Purple energy began to appear in front of Percival's heads, appearing to be sucked from his swords up his arms to the heads on his shoulders. They rotated so that they were pointing toward Splight, just as his Geor Gunner ability had three years ago. And it was then that Ace realized that there were golden lights growing in intensity in the distance... attached to the chains that Splight had unleashed.

At the same time, the attacks erupted. Percival's landed first, but the victory was short lived. Instantly, thirty golden beams slammed into his chest and back, and his cry of pain even overshadowed the yells of the crowd.

"Percival!" Ace shouted as wisps of the energy shot around him. He was holding up an arm in an attempt to shield himself from the attack when his eyes found the scoreboard. He was still ahead by two hundred and fifty points, thanks to his Battle Gear.

"Ability activate! Daybreak!"

"Huh?" While his mind rushed to figure out how her Splight had recovered so quickly, the only things he could make sense of were the two golden rays of light arcing from Splight's claws. His eyes flicked to the scoreboard. Splight had surpassed Percival's power level by more than five hundred points! But that didn't make sense, he reasoned with light speed. Rin should have been four hundred points lower than the power level she had...

Percival: 1450

Splight: 2100

"Ace, look out!" Mira screamed from behind him.

He didn't even know he was activating an ability until Percival moved to defend himself.

"Ability, activate! Eternal shield!" he called out numbly. The beveled, obsidian shield sprung up in front of Percival, sparing him from the worst of the attack. Ace's eyes were glued to the scoreboard, though, and in his panic, the two hundred point increase on Percival's behalf seemed like oxygen to a drowning man. His momentary relief, though, was snuffed out when Percival let out another grunt, his feet beginning to slip on the smooth surface of the arena. Ace gasped, stumbling backward as the last powerful gusts of wind buffeted him.

"Ace, I'm sorry!"

"Percival!" The shield shattered and the Darkus Bakugan was knocked off his feet, causing him to fly through the air as he was propelled by the blasts. That was when Ace noticed he was heading straight for a crowd of people, all of whom had realized what was about to happen. Their screams reached their peaks just before Percival began to glow, and he swirled back into his Bakugan ball. The Bakugan shot back to Ace, landing with small sounds of impact at Ace's feet. He could only hear them because the arena became deadly silent after the spectators stopped their fearful shrieking. He growled, glancing up at the display of his Life Gauge on the scoreboard. It had dropped by 200 points.

"Wait, she should have been down four hundred points," he protested. "I should have won that."

"That was pathetic," Rin sneered, holding up a hand and inviting Splight to return to it. He shot back to her like a comet, and her fingers wrapped around the tiny white ball as though it were made of velvet. Her fingers were relishing the sensation. Ace bent over, his eyes not leaving her petite figure for a second as he scooped Percival up off the ground with shaking hands. "If you think you should have won, think again. I activated an ability called Oblivious Sinner. It completely nullifies the opponent's ability, which, in this case, was Trinity Deimos." If anything, this served to anger Ace even more, and if he wasn't already going completely crazy, the smug smirk her eyes hinted at was going to make him go insane. Suddenly, she reminded him of Mylene, and that only served to give him the chills.

"I'm sorry, Ace," the Darkus Bakugan apologized. "It appears she got the better of me."

"Me too," Ace muttered. "I don't understand what it is. I can't focus enough to finish this battle like she did, and she seems to know it. And find it funny. And I can't shake the feeling that I know her from somewhere."

"Apparently Mira feels the same way," Percival pointed out. Ace blinked.

"Huh?" he murmured as he turned. His eyes found her right away from her glinting golden shoulder plates. She was leaning forward in her seat and her lips moving quickly, leading Ace to assume that she was having a similar discussion with Wilda. After barely a moment she noticed his perplexed gaze and she flashed him a just as confused, nervous glance. Its reappearance unnerved Ace even more than the mystery battler across the arena.

"I haven't seen her look that way since-"

"-Keith was Spectra," Percival and Ace both said. Ace shot him an uncertain look.

"This isn't good..." Ace muttered, glancing back at Rin. "I_ know_ I know her from somewhere."

"You do, I feel it as well," Percival pointed out. "As do Mira and Wilda."

"But did you notice that when she fought, it was like she was just toying with us?"

"Yes. When she activated Volting Mirage..." Ace froze as Percival's mention of the ability, and at that moment, Percival seemed to get it, too. "It can't be-"

"Shit!" Ace snarled, whirling around. "Is that Runo?"

"What are you whispering about over there?" Rin questioned, the amusement evident in her familiar yet still echoey voice. "I hope you aren't saying bad things about me... That would be rude, wouldn't it? Especially after I gave you so many chances to take me down!" Ace hissed.

"That voice could definitely be hers," he growled. "Damn!"

The uneasy murmuring that had subdued the arena echoed exactly how Ace felt but would never admit. However, he knew that Mira felt it, too, simply because he knew that she'd pick up on something like that. He licked his lips, but then stepped back up to his place on the edge of the arena.

"Let's see if we can throw up enough wind to blow her veil around." Ace held Percival up near his lips, locking his eyes on Rin's white and gold headdress. "Or maybe get the one on her face to blow up near her eyes. I think that she had gold eyes on the close up... Damn, we need Marucho or Ren..."

"Gate Card, set!" her next move was meant to interrupt their conversation, but Ace continued speaking anyway.

"Do you mind taking a few hits for Dan and Drago?"

"Not at all, Ace," Percival assured him. "Just keep our power difference less than five hundred. We can drag this out for as long as we want."

"Hey, don't you know it's rude to gossip, huh? Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!"

"Can you guess what Gate Card she has?" Percival asked.

"It'll take a few minutes, but we'll worry about that later. Let's go!"

"Alright!"

"You may have gotten the drop on me last time, but that won't happen again!" Ace yelled. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan stand! Rise, Darkus Alpha Percival!"

"Tell me, Ace Grit," Rin asked, her voice filtering into Ace's perfectly clearly despite their distance. He stiffened. "Why do you fight?"

"Why do I...? What sort of question is that?" he demanded. Whatever he had expected her to ask, it certainly hadn't been that.

"Just give me an answer," she rolled her eyes, "before I tear you and your Bakugan to shreds."

"As if that's going to happen," he snarled. "Percival!"

"I hear you Ace."

"Ability activate! Vrondi Striker!" Percival jumped up into the air, crossing his arms in front of his chest. His cape waved in an invisible breeze, and dark clouds began to gather in the space above the arena, and purple lightning strikes shot out randomly.

Percival: 1200

Splight: 800

Before the strike the Darkus team was waiting for could hit, Rin had decided to go on the offensive.

"Fine, have it your way. I'm afraid you'll come to regret it. Ability, activate! Doom slash!" Splight moved faster than the lightning could, and it shot down to leave a dark shadow on the ground where he had been standing.

"What?" Ace and Percival both yelled, then Percival was bowled over by Splight's attack. Percival grunted as the two of them stumbled closer to Ace, Splight growling as he struggled to land a hit and Percival gasping each time he managed to avoid one.

Percival: 1200

Splight: 1200

"Ace," Percival panted.

"Ability, activate! Delta claymore!" Percival caught the hilt easily, then swung it at Splight's claws. They collided with a clang, sending sparks flying across the arena. Ace drew in the smell of burning metal and gritted his teeth, but kept at it.

"Ability, activate! Daybreak!" Splight leapt back, holding up his claws in front of him. The rays of light shot out quickly, slamming into Percival's armor with several bangs and small explosions.

"Percival!" Ace shouted.

"I'm alright, Ace," Percival called a moment later, once the smoke had faded away. Ace nodded.

"Alright then. Let's heat things up! Fusion ability, activate! Omicron Achlys!" he called, pointing his left fist up in air.

The heads on Percival's shoulders all turned so that they were pointing toward Splight, but Percival also held his sword steady toward his opponent. The energy gathered in Percival's mouths and at the tip of his sword, preparing to be released at the same time. Rin clenched her jaw, then let it relax. The bruise there was irritating her to no end. Despite this, though, she smirked.

Percival: 1700

Splight: 1500

"Ability, activate! Darkus affirmation!" Splight's colors shanged from white and gold to purple, black and silver in a matter of seconds, and in that time, Percival's power dropped. The attack collided with Splight harmlessly, but sent powerful blasts of wind in either direction. Ace and Rin both braced themselves, but Ace squinted at Rin as hard as he could while still making out defining features. It was no use, though, because the distance was still far to great for him to make out any characteristics of the sort.

Percival jumped back, breathing hard, to take in what new card he had been handed by Fate. Ace took several deep breaths, beginning to feel that familiar strain hard battles had on him. But his blood was flowing, adrenaline pumping, and he felt alive. And that was doing wonders for his processing ability.

"Runo's Splight can change to Darkus," he said, trusting Percival to hear him.

"Yes, I know. Let's keep going!"

"Okay! Rin, don't think that you have the upper hand just because you have the higher power level," he smirked. Rin smirked at him. "Ability, activate! Time Locked Fate!"

Percival let out a satisfied breath before leaping into the air. His body began to spin, rotating so that the horns atop his head formed a perfect, golden circle. His cape wrapped around his body so that he was shaped like a torpedo, tapering off by his feet so that he could move through the air with ease. With this accomplished, he began to circle in the airspace above Splight, who let out a roar, then ceased moving.

"Time Locked Fate is an ability that shuts down the movement of the opponent Bakugan and prevents abilities from being activated," Ace smirked. He pointed across the arena at Rin. "But best of all, it takes down the opponent's power level as long as Percival keeps circling."

Rin smirked. "Good move. Your idea is to try to force me to open up my Gate Card, right?" Ace didn't say anything, only continued to smirk at her.

"It's your funeral if you don't do_ something_. I'm just limiting your options."

The smirk was the largest lie he had ever told in his life. She should have been freaking out, doing something to stop Splight from losing the match. The longer she kept up her relaxed act, the lower the numbers got, and the more anxious he became. Her power level had dropped from one thousand eight hundred to one thousand in a matter of twenty seconds, and it was still dropping. But she still wasn't bothered.

"What's her problem?" he asked no one. Rin said nothing, but once the number dropped to five hundred, she made a move.

"Ready, Perpetual Vengeance."

"Battle gear, boost! Gate card, open! Enemy resetter!" she shouted, chucking the small, hexagonal Battle Gear into the arena. Ace and Percival hissed.

"Damn, she has a Darkus gear?" Ace muttered.

"Enemy Resetter is a Gate Card that nullifies _all _of my opponent's abilities," Rin called. The glee in her voice was going to make Ace sick. "But on top of that, it also activates the Level 2 Class Battle Gear Ability! Bet you didn't see that one coming, did you?"

Ace stared at her for a moment, then smirked. "Fine then. Two can play at that game. Percival?"

"Go for it, Ace," Percival grunted from where he had been forced out of his spiral. He was floating high above Splight, out of reach of the now black chains that waved from Splight's back. Additional chains had grown from where his claws had been, but these were shorter and tipped with what looked like sharpened grappling hooks.

"Ready, Stratus Medley."

"Battle Gear, boost!" Ace shouted, jumping up and flinging it toward Percival. Seconds later, Percival floated with the Battle Gear attached to his back and a sickle grasped in his hand, glaring down at the Darkus Splight.

For a few moments, neither of them made a move. This time, Ace didn't want to be the attacker. If he were on the evasive this time, things might be a little easier. But first, he had to get his power level back up in a safe range.

"You're not going to make a move?" Rin asked. "What is this, chess?"

"Hmph. You want something interesting to happen? You should do something for a change. It's like I've been hauling dead weight!" Rin chuckled.

"Fine then. Doesn't seem like you'd want to fight a defensive battle considering how things have been going, but alright. Battle Gear Ability activate! Perpetual Expiation!" Instantly, the arena was filled with painful, white light. Both Ace and Percival yelled in unison with the spectators at the burning that assaulted their eyes. Ace dropped to the ground, covering his eyes to try to ease the burning, but even if he had left his eyes uncovered, he wouldn't have been able to see the chains that snaked up from Splight's "fingers". They all shot toward Percival with a force ten times that of rocket launchers, and the grappling hooks swung around his ankles, wrists, and body like anchors.

"Ace!" Percival choked, his voice straining as he struggled to remain airborne. His eyes were shut tightly, just like everyone else in the audience, but Rin just laughed.

"That's not even the best part!" she giggled insanely. Ace growled, squinting against the light. "Your power level is too low, Ace! My mistress will be quite pleased with a new, lively specimen." Ace froze. _No!_

"Runo!" Mira shouted. "Stop it!" Her voice was so agonized Ace could hear the tears in it. A sensation that rivaled physical pain burned in his chest at the sheer distress in Mira's voice. He groaned.

All of a sudden, the sound of a gasp reached Ace's ears. "Runo?" Rin whispered. The light died, but Ace didn't move for a moment. After he reasoned that the attack had stopped and all chatter had ceased, he dared open his eyes. Amazingly, no flashbulbs greeted him, but the first thing he looked for was Percival. He found him a second later when he collided with the ground. After determining that he wasn't seriously injured or about to go back into ball form, he found himself staring across the arena at a close up of Rin's face on the screen. Her golden eyes were wide, and the utter fear on her face reminded him of Runo's when she was stuck in the Dimensional Gate.

"Wait... why does that name sound familiar?" she murmured, taking several steps back. Her hand flew to her forehead. Her eyes darted around, and Ace noticed a slight shift in color. They flashed emerald green. This was Runo!

"It's Runo!" Ace shouted. "Mira, get Ren!"

"No need!" the Darkus brawler called. He let out a grunt as his feet touched down within the circle beside Ace.

"That was fast," Ace commented as he straightened up, despite the giddiness he felt at nearly losing Percival. He definitely owed Mira a dinner at the most expensive restaurant here on Earth as soon as this battle was finished.

"Don't mention it. Activate Erebos Enforcer," he said in his raspy tone. Ace was too distracted by the friend who was struggling to grasp what was going on the other side of the arena to protest against the order.

"Fusion Ability, activate! Erebos Enforcer!" Ren opened his hand and Linehalt glowed, shooting into the battle field. He emerged with a threatening snarl, after which Percival's power level increased by three hundred points.

Linehalt: 900

Percival: 1550

Splight: 2100

Percival held up his now serrated sickle, just as Linehalt took a battle stance. However, his intervention was apparently not needed, as Runo suddenly dropped to her knees and let out a horrible scream. It cut through the silence of the arena like a knife through butter, and several people began to teleport out.

"Can you get everyone out of the arena?" Mira cried, running down the path from the door to the waiting rooms. Briefly, Ace wondered how she had gotten there. She must have jumped from up above. "This is an emergency, there has to be some sort of failsafe, right?"

"Yes and no," Ren explained. "There is if the system is in danger of shutting down. It automatically transports all the battlers-"

"We don't have time for this!" Ace snapped. "What if the Gundalians are here? They'll snatch her before we can do anything unless we do something _now._" Ren shot him a serious look, but nodded a moment later.

"I understand. We'll have to transport them directly to the outside world, otherwise we'll overload the system."

"Well, do that then!" Mira cried before jumping down into the Bakugan arena.

"Wait!" Ren and Ace protested, the latter starting to call her name and run after her, but Ren grabbed his arm.

"Stay focused! See if you can snap Splight out of the hypnosis. If you can, Runo will get out of it, too," Ren said urgently. "Linehalt will get Mira across safely." Ace nodded.

"Percival!" he shouted. "You gotta shut Splight down!"

"I hear you, Ace!" Percival leapt toward Splight, raising his sickle in preparation of the coming fight.

Mira was sprinting across the arena but had only made it about a fourth of the way across before Linehalt scooped her up. She yelped in surprise, but upon realizing that it was a friendly force, shouted her thanks.

"Anytime, Mira," Linehalt replied gently. Mira offered no further conversation, because then, she was at Runo's side.

"Runo!" she cried, kneeling beside her friend. Runo laid there in a fetal position, her hands pressed as hard as they could be against her head. She let out another cry of pain, screaming out into the arena, where her yells were being lost in the rising chaos.

"No!" she screamed. "No! Leave me alone!"

"Runo! Snap out of it!" Mira's hands came down hard on Runo's shoulders, only to be slapped away.

"_NO!_" Her scream was the worst thing Mira had ever heard. She froze, the sheer tortured edge to the cry piercing her deeper than any blade could. Her hands hovered there as the world fell away to be replaced with a twisting, darkened dimension. Mira gasped, her eyes darting around as the rest of her remained paralyzed. Runo was floating before her, convulsing in silence. Mira could see everything at once, including the front of Runo's body, and her mouth that was open in a silent, eternal screech. And her dark green, horrified eyes.

Mira's mouth was open wide in awful amazement at the darkened world around her friend, but whether or not she still had a mouth in this realm was beyond her. Her body seemed to have vanished into the watery, purple expanse. She felt nothing physical at all, not the metal that she knew was beneath her body's legs, nor the wind from the battle her mind knew was happening nearby. Nothing existed but her friend, floating curled up, in this bottomless nothingness. She was the only blur brightness in this place that was considerably absent of light, despite the ability to see through it. The liquid like substance they floated in shimmered, and that was the closest thing the girls had to light here aside from Runo's white skirt.

"Runo!" she tried to call out, but the sound was dulled, as if she were speaking into a pillow, or underwater. Runo didn't stir, only convulsed in the same rhythm she had before. Her ears ringing was the closest thing to sound Mira could perceive. Not even her own voice registered with her ears.

Then, images appeared throughout the realm. Random images, Mira realized. One was of a younger version of the man she remembered as Runo's father. Another was of a cracked picture of Tigrerra. Still another was her peering out a window as a bottle of some orange drink flew into her hands. No sounds registered throughout this silent cinema, but it didn't take long for Mira to realize that she was gazing at Runo's memories.

At first, nothing too surprising rose up. Images of battles appeared, against faceless battlers. After a few seconds, or perhaps it was an eternity, Mira wasn't sure, the first image of Dan appeared. He was on the ground, holding his head, before looking up at meeting Runo's gaze.

_The first time she met Dan? _Mira wondered before turning her attention to another memory. In this one, Runo was fighting Dan, both of them were screaming at each other in what looked like the same amusement park they had visited upon their arrival on Earth. In another, Runo was trying to hold his hands when she was still stuck in the Dimensional Gate.

Another one that seemed to take up a lot of space in the infinite darkness was the image of a blue skinned Gundalian woman, smirking in cold, malevolent glee. She was holding a pen with a wire attached to it, but from what Mira could see, the pen had no ink, nor was it actually a pen. At the tip was an oddly shaped point, and she could feel the intense fear Runo must have felt building inside her stomach. Then, the tip was at her skin, and her head was behind held still. She felt what happened next as though it were happening to herself. Intense, blinding pain exploded on the sensitive skin along her jaw bone, branching under her chin in a single, steady line. Then, seconds later, the burning stopped, and the ringing in Mira's "ears" ceased.

Other pointless ones came and went before Mira, but the one that disturbed her the most was the last one to appear. It eclipsed all the others not just because it had sound, but because she realized that she had not seen it before. And on top of that, it was a memory of Dan.

There was the image of a screen, Mira could make it out unconsciously. But she was not focused on the gray lining of the moving image at all. Instead, she could feel the color leak out of her "face", just as she could hear Dan's screams. He thrashed and jerked in a metal chair, where his arms and legs were bounds tightly. The howls that infiltrated and echoed the empty space were all the more terrible because this was her focus. Blue jolts of electricity shot from Dan's arms and legs, jumping from one part of his body to the other. His sunglasses flew off his head, falling to the ground where the tinted plastic came apart from the blue rim.

Then, Mira's attention was ripped from the memory."Move!" The command echoed around in the nothingness, at first nothing but a whisper before echoing into becoming a yell. And then the burning started.

Mira was back on the ground in Bakugan Interspace, a harsh, ear splitting scream slicing through her vocal chords. Her whole body was on fire, but the most concentrated pain was from the center of her chest to her right shoulder. Branches of fractures had been inflicted upon her skin, which now felt strangely cool despite the flames. Dimly, she was aware of Ace and perhaps Ren and a closer, much more frantic voice calling out, and then she crumpled onto the ground. Her muscles convulsed involuntarily and she choked, all of a sudden realizing that she couldn't breathe. Tears fell from her eyes with surprising speed. What breath she could grasp came in raged, uneven gasps, and her leg kicked out without her having any control over the action.

It collided with something, and that something let out an angry yet pained yell. Something else slammed into her stomach with surprising force, and she noticed it upset her breathing even more than the pain that came with it. But as she returned to her surroundings here, she became more and more aware of the action taking place around her.

A man was standing there, clad in something green and blurry. Mira squinted up at him as she choked and thrashed, but her vision wasn't clear enough to make out the disgusted look he gave her. She thought what was supposed to be his face was gray, but that didn't make much sense...

"Leave her!" a voice snapped, but Mira could neither see its owner nor make out the words. She could only tell it was male. "Kazarina only wanted Runo."

"Mira!" The frantic voice nearby continued, but like the conversation above, Mira couldn't understand what it was saying.

"Fine, but what should we do about Ren and that other Darkus brawler?" the green clad man questioned, apparently ignoring the small voice and fixing his gaze on the figure Mira couldn't see.

"Leave them. They'll have enough to deal with if we just leave _her_." Mira could tell they were speaking about her, but what they said exactly was a mystery. Her mind was jumbled and everything was completely out of focus. The only thing she was completely sure she knew was that her name was Mira, and that a friend of hers had been strapped to a chair and tortured. The image kept replaying and replaying, the screams echoing in her ears.

"Mira, are you okay?"

"Fine," the one in green said, but his voice was more of a growl than anything Mira had ever heard before.

"Nnnng..." was her attempt at moaning, "no." She didn't know why, but they couldn't do whatever they were conspiring. She tried to roll over, but that only resulted in even more pain. The fire branched out to her arteries and veins, and certainly wasn't dulled by the additional screams that echoed through the arena.

"RUNO!" and "Mira!" were the only words she could hear clearly, even though she couldn't place the voices. One was feminine and rather high pitched, she realized, a brown color coming to mind, and the other was masculine and much more familiar. If she were sure she had a brother, she would say that was his voice. Then something hard connected with her skull, and darkness blanketed her like snow.

**It's not even funny how many times I had to go get my calculator durring the making of this chapter. Please let me know if you want me to upload Splight and Percival's abilities to my DeviantArt page.**

**Review!**


	19. Shards of Glass and Memory

**I revised this a bit, since the part about Shun may seem kinda random to anyone but me.**

**"How can you see into my eyes like open doors? Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb..." - Evanescence, Bring Me to Life**

Dan shot up in his bed, not for the first time, doused in a cold sweat. His breath came in panicked, desperate gasps, his lungs drawing air like he had been stabbed. Plastered to his forehead was his hair, and with the sudden movement of sitting up, the burning on his back started again. He grimaced and let out a carefully controlled grunt of pain, throwing his head back involuntarily. Pain exploded behind his eyes and just as mechanically, he jerked his body forward and dug his knuckles into his eye sockets.

It took every effort just to keep himself from screaming out. Tiny microbursts of torture beneath his temple sent chills down his spine and through his arms, just as an intense burning was kindled along his back. A slight contrast to the blazing heat was the tiny, irritating tickling sensation that worked its way down the skin of his back, mixing with sweat and inflicting a scorching sting upon each and every open wound. Blood was dripping down his back, he realized, but the thought didn't actually strike him. Instead, its mildness gave it the eerie resemblance to the sting of a wasp. He shivered, trying to dislodge the imaginary creature, but only succeeded in driving the sensation further down his body.

As per usual, the image of a large, yellow masked creature had stolen his attention. It's appearance had eclipsed even the pain, suddenly emphasizing it's importance. Dan had no idea why it was important. The only thing he was sure of with these visions was the paralyzing sense of fear that came with them. Six glowing, insect-like eyes gleamed in the center of the creatures "face", completely masking whatever laid beneath it-if anything did at all. Shadowed, spiderweb-like chains had worked their way around its arms and legs, attached themselves to its chest and "face", and even pinned it to its chair.

Dan stood before the creature with his eyes open as far as they could go. His stomach clenched as his abdomen filled with a horrible sense of rising terror, which began to infect his chest. His chest heaved, and while the sense of sweaty stickiness had faded, the pain in his head intensified, as did every discomforting sensation along his body. His throat was raw, his arms on fire. Every bruise felt like it had been slammed with five new punches. The brands on his arms and the split whip lashes on his back, legs, and shoulders inflicted the worst pain, as though salt had been thrown on both each open and healing wound. The agony of the healing lacerations only intensified as he spent time here, staring up at the masked creature. Presently, knives were being driven into the sensitive flesh, ripping through the scabs, muscles and sinew. But the new burn along his jawline was painless.

But despite these afflictions, the overwhelming desire to run overpowered everything. So that's what Dan did.

He whirled around, his eyes wide with terror, and stumbled as fire overcame him. A scream rose to his lips, but he kept running. It was as if the vocalization of his pain would ease it in some way. It was a foolish action.

"Cease your pathetic struggles, boy," a growl came from behind him. Dan glanced back, as he always must do. This vision had been experienced before, and now, he knew, would come the purple tendrils, snaking toward him like sea serpents. He still gasped at the sight of them speeding in his direction, and responded by forcing his legs to move faster, to propel him farther. But the scenery around him wasn't changing. The inky combination of red and black, occasionally broken by the arm thick strands of webbing, was constant, never ending, and frozen. He was frozen.

He was trying wretchedly to delay the inevitable, to prevent his demise at the hands of this faceless enemy. In his heart, he knew it was impossible. This creature would twist him limb from limb after playing with him a little, he could tell that from the way the tendrils stroked his arms. They wrapped around his healing wrists like whips, snapping there. They were much thicker than Sellon's, or even Mylene's whips and had the texture of sand paper. They tightened there, and around his arms where his biceps met his elbows. One snaked underneath his right armpit and over his left shoulder, suddenly constricted around his chest. He was shirtless, and the sheer harshness of the purple tentacle as it rubbed quickly along his skin was enough to split it. A yell escaped him as a wide but shallow wound was carved into him, and blood blossomed to trickle down his stomach.

Another tendril came and wrapped around his stomach, again slicing him. He screamed, the ropes twisting around his wrists and sheering off the scabs. One of them fitted itself around his palm like a glove and wrenched it to the side, causing an audible crack to split the air. Again, he screamed, wetness growing in his eyes. The tentacles spiraled around his legs, seizing his thighs and binding them. He was clad only in his underwear, which offered no protection against any of the bodily assaults.

"Give me what is mine!" the masked figure was growling, but Dan's mind was drunk on pain and adrenaline. What may have seemed like clear, coherent thoughts given shape now sounded watery and indistinct, but the meaning flashed like a flashlight in the dark night.

"N-no!" Dan screamed, horribly breaching the otherworldly silence. The only sounds were the slithering of the tentacles along his skin, shaving away layers of flesh to reveal red, bloody muscle. The bones of his torso suddenly appeared, glowing with some phosphorescence that was horrifying and distinct. The tendrils pried apart the skin and sinew around his ankles, dislocating them and bending them in ways that were never intended. His screams reached further than he could have ever imagined as a new pain, worse than anything he had or could ever hope to dream, exploded. His chest was being ripped apart, not just from the outside, but from the inside out. His organs were exploding in a violent, bloody apocalypse. Blood poured from his stomach and mouth, spilling out to vanish into the oblivion below.

And through it all, the pain only increased. His temple felt like it was on the verge of combusting. The pain in between his ears radiated outward to extend down his throat. Hot irons were being forced into his armpits and inside his flesh, burning away the nerves yet leaving a trail of molten flesh behind. Blood, skin, and muscle all disappeared into the smoke, the horrible smoke that stank of burning flesh and rotting corpses.

Dan's screams were only a mere fraction of the pain he tried to convey. Above them all rose a single voice, one that even he could hear because it filtered directly into his brain.

"The Gate and Key..."

And just like that, it was gone.

He was blissfully, blissfully senseless. He was numb, deaf, and unable to smell even the sweat that glistened upon his skin like tiny dewdrops. His eyes were open wide, and even though he saw the bluish, silvery room before him, he at the same time did not see it. His hands were disfigured upon the sheets before him from how hard he had been clutching them, and dark stains were evident to even his bleary eyes.

But then a form started to materialize before him.

Dan stared through the dark at the pale skinned figure in front of him, as though his existence were actually plausible. The greasy, brown hair fell unevenly in front of the figure's eyes, his reddish eyes. The burn along his right jawline matched Dan's perfectly, traveling from his ear to the center of his chin, with a small extension in the center. It branched up his cheek by about half an inch, an angry red against the clammy paleness of his skin.

Dan watched his doppelganger with disinterest, which was the complete opposite of the look he gave him. The likeness's eyes bore into his own with an intense, fiery edge, searing a path to the inner reaches of his mind. The reaches he had sealed off, except for when he was in the dark. The intrusion was unprepared for, and Dan had not the sufficient time to mask himself.

"Why haven't you done it yet?"

The voice was obviously, identifiably his own, right down to the raw, raspy quality that came from screeching the way he had. Dan averted his gaze. He knew exactly what the doppelganger meant, even though to any listener the meaning would have been too inconspicuous. Still, Dan pretended not to see the figure. He knew in his heart it was impossible for it to exist.

"Look at me." Dan, against his better judgement, found his gaze returning to his own face. The doppelganger held up a hand, the hand Dan knew so well as his own. Wounds on its wrist glistened in the slight light that was filtering in from the skylight in the bathroom, reflecting the bloody marks upon Dan's own wrists. Ruby half moons with still shiny gemstones upon them caught his eye, causing the identical jewels in his own fist to burn.

The intense look his doppelganger had given him melted into a wry grin as Dan unwillingly lifted his own hand, the one that molded perfectly with the one his doppelganger displayed. The bloody dewdrops mixed and smeared upon the skin, bringing with it an unpleasant stinging sensation. The doppelganger smirked, an expression that looked oddly out of place upon Dan's face.

"You know you could end it, your pain." Dan looked it in the eye this time. He lowered his hand.

"I know." His voice was a mere whisper, a fraction of the strength it should have possessed. But it still held a weight none of his other words had ever known.

"Why haven't you?" The tone was inquisitive yet repulsed, but at the same time desperate and feral.

"Drago. And Runo." Dan's fingers lightly ran over the fabric they pressed close, staining them with a red impossible to revoke.

"Oh come on!" His voice dripped with the emphasis on how ridiculous Dan was being. "You'd be doing them a favor! Then the Gundalians wouldn't have any to hold hostage..." His doppelganger's eyes had taken on a demonic glint. Dan ignored it.

"They still have Joe. And I'm pretty sure Drago would try to save Mylene and the others, too."

"Don't be stupid. If you're gone, then the Gundalians won't try to bargain with Drago. They know that angering him after that would be certain death."

"Yeah, but haven't you realized by now the reason why Mylene and the others are even here?" Dan asked, turning his despairing yet still angry gaze upon his shadow. The shadow fell silent. "It's to keep me in line. They haven't harmed them so far, haven't you noticed? You're me. You should be able to recognize this after all these years. Mylene and the others? Joe? They're all here so that _I_ don't act out, and they're all expendable. As far as they're concerned, they just exist. And I'm probably going to be cut off from them soon."

"Why is that?" the shadow questioned. Dan's raw, pained eyes found those of the phantom before him.

"Because as far as they can tell, I'm smiling too much! Can't you see it? Somehow, I've fooled them. Somehow, I managed to hide everything! Even..." His fist tightened and his voice dropped in volume. "Even..."

"But you don't have to do it anymore..." The shadow coaxed him gently, suddenly appearing behind Dan. His bloody handprint smeared on his shoulder. Dan didn't move, only fixed his sightless gaze on his sheet. "Come now..." His own breath tickled the sensitive skin of his ear. "You know you can't hold up..."

"I know."

"So why do you keep resisting? You're tempted, admit it..."

"Of course I'm tempted. I have the means of doing it right here. In this very room," he recited listlessly. The shadow smirked, his tongue darting out with the swiftness of an amphibian to moisten the cracked and bleeding lips he shared with his target.

"Yes..." he hissed enticingly. "You do..."

Dan suddenly fell limp to the left, rolling onto the floor with a small grunt of surprise. He didn't even realize he had moved until he coughed, pushing his face up off the floor. A horrible, acrid scent reached his nose, just as an equal if not more unpleasant taste registered. He coughed again before opening his eyes and stupidly staring at the pile of sick before him.

"You can end it all..." The voice echoed around him, penetrating his horribly skewed perception with astonishing clarity.

"I can..." Dan pushed himself up on unsteady feet. His head swam, his arms flailed, and for a moment it seemed as though he would collapse. But then, he found that balance that had fled him, and he managed a few unsteady steps forward. He worked his way away from the vomit on the ground before losing his balance again, and before he knew it, his shoulder had connected with the ground.

A groan released itself into the air, but Dan was too far gone to even realize it had come from him. His shoulder ached, screaming in protest as he forced himself up. His clouded gaze saw nothing but the blurred glow from the bathroom, where his cure lay.

"That's it..."

Dan recognized the voice as his own yet foreign, but only drew from it the encouragement. His fingers clawed at the wall, desperate to lift himself. So close. He was so close to relief, to mercy, to silence and finally, senselessness.

His bare skin shone in the moonlight as he stumbled blearily into the bathroom in his practically drunken stupor. Unsteadily, he swayed before grabbing onto the wall again, using it as an unwilling support for his weight. He raised his gaze from the spotless floor to the skylight, where harmless silver moonlight would bathe him in its healing light.

"Come on, almost there..." He couldn't tell if he was speaking or if his companion was anymore. Regardless, he absorbed the praise and hobbled drunkenly across the floor until he stood in front of the sink, a mere basin. The faucet was simple enough; it would serve its purpose fitfully. So would the handles. And the mirror too. It was the brush, the single appliance that had been placed there for his benefit, that was his focus.

His bloody fingers closed around the handle so hard the blood from his crescent moons seeped out, staining the white wrapping around it red. He was numb to the pain that should have accompanied it, though.

"Now, you know what to do." Dan glanced up from the basin, where a dark, royal crimson had splashed into a unique blossom, and his listless eyes found himself behind himself. The shadow's eyes were wide with insanity, but his pupils tiny pinpricks among the dark red of his irises. His chest heaved with anticipation, his mouth cracked upward in some deranged amusement. His teeth glinted with each breath, just as the edges of the bloody whiplashes shone just barely over his shoulders. The blood shined as only blood could, beautiful yet appalling at the same time.

"Do it!" he hissed when Dan didn't move. But that was the only further encouragement he needed.

In a single movement, the brush had been sent flying. It arced across the room with an unmatchable force, the only likeness in existence the throw of a Bakugan. But it served it purpose.

Dan stood expressionless and ignorant of the danger as shards of glass exploded outward, arcing upward, downward, and outward as if part of some graceful artwork. Each facet caught the light of the moon, sending tiny beams of light everywhere in the room. A million tiny white lights reflected in Dan's eyes. What had been a blood red iris was now a white, glowing circle in the center of a reddened eyeball.

The shadow smirked in satisfaction. Dan didn't see, _couldn't_ see anything beyond the weapons that all clattered soundlessly and timelessly to the floor in front of him. Here laid the answer. The only answer; it was spread out before him. Countless tiny parts of what had once been a single sheet of glass could now be used to end a life, and also save as many others as the infinite shards there.

* * *

><p>The shadowed silence was the only thing keeping Shun sane.<p>

Moonlight radiated down above him, bathing the entire area in a gilded silver. The smooth, tiled plates that made up the roof of his large, deceptive home gleamed with a silver sheen, only discolored by his own humanoid shadow. The grass below seemed to be encased in frost, and if not for the warm weather and bubbling of the pond nearby, Shun might have thought that were the case.

A sharp yet bearable sound cut through the evening air, altering in pitch every few seconds. It was a noise akin to fingernails screeching along a chalkboard, but there was no one nearby to protest against its harshness. The tiny, green orbs that rested in the grooves between the tiles said nothing, only watched their comrade grieve soundlessly in the hushed darkness.

It was not to say that they could do anything to soothe the latent sadness that the expressionless ninja concealed, though. Both allies had long since realized that Shun was better off handling his emotions his way, by retreating into his familiar state of seclusion. His dojo, since his grandfather's admittance to a senior home, had become his only refuge. How he had longed to escape to it upon their return from Gundalia, to its private peace. He could return to a time when he was happy, when his mother was alive. When Skyress still remained.

Shun's fingers pressed harder against the leaf, accidentally causing the slight split in the middle to crack even further. Maintaining the silence, he removed it, tossing it down next to him. He made sure to keep it on the opposite side of his body, away from the picture he now moved his fingers to.

His dry eyes flicked to the woman in the photograph, with long, blueish black hair. A lavender, timeless wrap adorned her shoulders and trailed down out of the frame. Whatever clothes she had been wearing under the wrap didn't matter. They couldn't be seen, save for the small bit of white that poked up against her neck. Shun had spent hours over the years trying to remember what exactly she had worn that day, but it was as if his mind had locked it away and tossed the key into the blacksmith's fire. It had melted and become part of an eternal sword that returned each and every year to stab him in the chest. It returned to stain his clothes a bright, deadly crimson, pinning the reason for his mother's death against his exposed and defenseless heart.

"You weren't there to spend as much time as you could with her before she died!"

The truth had stung him from the instant she stopped breathing, the day his mother died, until now, and most assuredly would for years to come. He carried the burden of his mother's death, the death of the one he loved the most. He would carry it until the day he died.

He had spent weeks, months, ultimately years living with that truth. Even though Skyress had tried to talk him out of it, it was a fact he could not and never would be able to deny. His mind was the one that whispered the poison to him. His own mind was his torturous killer.

Shun drew in his anger at himself and used it to fuel his battles, eventually allowing him to let enough go to function efficiently around his friends. He never told anyone except Skyress and Ingram about his struggles, and now they had both moved on. Shun never would. They had abandoned him. He was alone.

He often wondered how different his life would be if his mother had lived. It was one of his favorite and yet, least favorite things to ponder in the dark when he gazed up at the millions of stars above him. One of the few things he had worked out was that he probably wouldn't be the same person he was at the moment. He'd probably be a lot more talkative, he often thought with a wry grin. He wouldn't run off to be alone in times of struggle. He might even lean on his friends for support every now and then.

But as he sat there, wondering if one of the numerous glowing orbs in the sky held Dan upon it, a new guilt was growing within him. Maybe it was the date that was causing him to relive all those feelings, which inadvertently gave birth to new ones. The fact that today was the day his mother had died, that day when he first lost a battle to Dan. There were invisible links tying him to both his mother and his best friend today. And for that, the regret that he had no idea of what was taking place on Displatis stung him like a knife to the chest. In a way, though, the not knowing could be described as blissful. Right now, he had no idea that Kazarina, one of people he hated most, was explaining with horrible glee how Runo was being exploited and why, as if just being a soldier unknowingly pitted against Dan's resolve wasn't enough. That his best friend since they were innocent children was currently yelling, struggling against the claws of those he had once though deceased. That his friend was screaming at his allies to get away, so they wouldn't be hurt even as they tried to help and he endured more suffering than he could ever deserve. That the former prince Hydron and his accomplice Lync were fighting their very hardest to get out of Gill and Airzel's grips and help the teen who had once been their enemy. He had no idea that Mylene was snapping at Shadow not to move because a sadistic, power crazed Nethian woman was preparing to hit him with an electricity infused weapon.

He had no inkling that his best friend had been abused, branded, and beaten like a disobedient slave. That his best friend had spent the past week with the very people who had tried to kill him, and that the next time he saw him, Dan would be nothing like the happy, somewhat oblivious friend he had once known. He also didn't know that these next few days would be the worst Dan would endure in his life.

And most importantly of all, he was completely ignorant of the shard of glass that laid concealed beneath bandages against Dan's branded, scarred, and mutilated forearm. That Dan, the one who had fought so hard for the things that others loved, would, if it came to it, give up everything to protect all that others had achieved.

This ignorance was probably for his benefit, he would one day regretfully and angrily discover.

The extent of Dan's resolve, will and sheer love for his friends would astound him and be carried alongside the memory of his mother for the rest of his life. But when he found it out was something yet to be decided by the Fates, who continued to weave Dan's story into their tapestries. Their fingers would spin the fibers of Dan's life, however long or short it was decided to be. And soon, Shun, as well as all of those who Dan had touched, would be enlightened as to how that story would play out.

He didn't know it yet.

But the ones that held his fate in their hands, they knew. They always knew.

**Review! Please, some, any feedback. Constructive criticism, PLEASE.**


	20. Internal Affairs

**"Adults find pleasure in deceiving a child. They consider it necessary, but they also enjoy it. The children very quickly figure it out and then practice deception themselves." - Elias Canetti**

* * *

><p>"Just what do you think you're doing, Kazarina?" Gill snarled, pressing his hand even harder against her shoulder. Despite her helpless position against the wall, she managed to keep her wits about her. Her glare bore daggers up into his, clearly demonstrating her hatred for the red haired Pyrus brawler before her. Her shoulders were pinned to the metal wall behind her, as were the white wings that were so deceptive. She was mildly surprised that Gill hadn't drawn his weapon, a red bladed katana, and pressed it to her throat, but she knew that she could have easily outwitted him had it come to that.<p>

"What do_ I_ think I'm doing?" she snarled back, resisting the urge to spit in his face. "I'm being sensible and actually contributing to the cause of our mighty emperor! I'm not the one holding his number two against a wall!"

Her use of her heightened status was only meant to anger Gill further, and the ploy worked. In rage, Gill pressed harder, but the perfectly controlled hypnotist predictably showed no sign of discomfort. He jerked her violently before releasing her, but his body remained carefully positioned to prevent her escape.

"Move, you imbecile!" she snapped, electricity running up and down her fists. She lifted one, slowly straightening her fingers, just daring him to stay in his current position. He stared back at her with such loathing and gall that her iris's shrank in anger. "I said _move!_"

With no less fury than before, Gill took a step back, but only one step. It was all she needed to slither past him into the space of the hallway, where she was free to leave or stay as she pleased.

"Now, that wasn't so hard was it?" Kazarina spat, brushing some invisible dust particles from her shoulders.

"You still keep that girl around!" Gill growled, crossing his arms. Kazarina's eyes flashed. "She's useless! Just get rid of her."

"If you had half the brain the emperor requires of you, you'd know that her presence is crucial! It amazes me that I wasn't given the position as his number two sooner; you really are clueless," she added with a glare filled with loathing.

Gill wanted nothing more than to snap the witch's neck right then and there. He watched her for a moment, struggling to keep control over his limbs, and her mouth curved upward in a devilish sneer. "My my, haven't we a temper..."

"I'm warning you, Kazarina," Gill murmured lowly. "You've overstepped your boundary."

"How so?" Gill ignored her.

"Why are you keeping Runo around?"

"_Rin_ is actually quite useful," Kazarina corrected him. "And I'm amazed that you haven't seen the benefit of her presence."

"Well, not everyone is as _brilliant _as you are, Kazarina." She ignored his patronizing comment in favor of providing her attention elsewhere. Her eyes had taken a position in the corners of her eyes, as though she were looking behind her. Her shoulders squared off, and she angled her body away from Gill. "What are you looking at?" Gill demanded.

"It appears we have an eavesdropper. Anubias, you really are no better than that traitor, Ren," Kazarina said darkly, turning toward where one hallway intersected with the one they were hiding in. A dark, armored figure stepped around the corner, his gray hair standing up high on his head. His arms were crossed, and when he stopped walking, his position with his legs spread as he leaned back suggested he was perfectly comfortable. He watched the two with a level gaze, unconcerned.

"Forgive me, Mistress," he recited without actually sounded apologetic. "Are you two arguing _again_?" He sounded exasperated, yet at the same time, amused and, if possible, uninterested. "You're like an old married couple."

"Mind your own business," Gill growled. "Shouldn't you be in Bakugan Interspace?"

"My battles have yet to be determined. Yours, however, appear to be continuing just as lively as ever." Gill took a threatening step toward the artificial life form, who stood his ground fearlessly. "You can try to intimidate me. It's not going to work, Gill."

"Watch your mouth, Anubias!" he snarled. "Go away. This doesn't concern you."

"You're right, your dispute doesn't concern me. But I have a question that does."

"You have sixty seconds," Kazarina threatened.

"Rin was wondering when she can fight our "high security prisoner". What do you propose I tell her? After all, it would be a strong psychological blow against Dan if we-"

"No." Kazarina's tone was final and abrupt, if not slightly nervous. "Don't let her anywhere near him."

"Why?" Gill's question expressed his hostility openly, but a trace of genuine curiosity was evident. Kazarina glanced at him in irritation.

"Fine. Since the two of you seem to be so interested in this..." Kazarina shot Anubias an fiery glance, which he regarded cooly. "Runo cannot be exposed to her former allies. It will trigger an emotional response that will lead to her coming out the hypnosis again, which was why she reacted the way she did when she was at Bakugan Interspace."

Gill immediately pounced on her statement. "Then why are you keeping her around? Kazarina? You just said it yourself: she's useless! I saw how she reacted to just that Darkus Vestal brawler! How do you think she'll react to Dan?"

"Why do you think I've been refusing her requests to fight him?" she snarled, her eyes flashing golden. Gill blinked in surprise, but didn't back down.

"She's _useless_," he repeated, venom in his voice.

"I've just about had it with you! Are you questioning my motives?"

"Yes I am, you witch!" Gill shouted. "Keeping that girl around will only be a detriment to the emperor's goals!" His fingers twitched as though he longed to hold something in his hand. Kazarina failed to miss it, as hers were itching in the same manner, but Anubias noticed both of their reactions. They must have been wishing for their weapons.

"Well, seems as though the two of you are having one hell of a debate," Anubias muttered seriously, attracting both of their enraged gazes. "Play nice before you end up killing each other. The Master needs both of you intact for the plan to work."

"Stop with that high-and-mighty attitude, Anubias!" Kazarina spat. "If you value your life, you'll do as I say." Anubias glanced at her with disinterest before turning around. She didn't even bother trying to mask her explosive anger. "Don't you dare walk away from me!"

"I think you'll find that you have a more pressing issue, Kazarina," Gill threatened, holding up an arm to prevent her from following him.

"Get out of my way!" she yelled, jerking her arm in a powerful striking motion. Her hand glowed and itched with the electricity that crackled and hissed along her blue reptilian skin. However, Gill was prepared for the assault and quickly swatted her hand away, causing the lightning to shoot into the wall. The hallway was suddenly illuminated harshly, then the light flickered out, as did the fizzling sound that accompanied it.

Kazarina leaped backward, putting distance between herself and her rival. Gill watched her silently, biting back all of the enraged insults he was dying to screech. The fire in his eyes scorched a path into hers, where her own enmity burned his retinas.

"You are a worthless, cowardly dog, Gill," she said nastily, "trying to get rid of all those who stand in between you and your favor with the emperor! My advice to you would be to grow a backbone-and stay away from Rin!"

With that, Kazarina turned her back on the pissed off Pyrus brawler, stalking off in the opposite direction.

Anubias, who had simply ducked behind the wall, watched her depart with a focused, steady gaze. Her steps were taken at a leisurely pace, not what one would expect with a devious man such as Gill standing behind her. However, she seemed confident that Gill wouldn't lift a hand against her. Where she got her confidence from, Anubias could never and would never be able to guess. However, he did take note of the fists at her sides, how her knuckles were a brighter shade of blue than usual.

_Anubias..._

Anubias blinked, his head pulsing unpleasantly as the name filtered through his head. The summons were obvious and impossible to deny. Within seconds, Anubias's body had faded out of existence in a shower of rainbow sparkles, then reappeared in a shadowy, reddish underworld. Off-white, weblike tendrils stretched over the vast emptiness, spanning great, unseen distances. The warm, dry air held an unpleasant trace of rotting meat upon it, and as Anubias sank to one knee before the yellow clad creature, he caught a powerful wave of it. The decaying smell hit the back of his throat strongly, but he forced back his urge to retch.

"You summoned me, Master Mag Mel," he stated lowly, fixing his eyes on the "ground" beneath him. In reality, the expanse continued downward, far out of his field of vision. If he chose to think about it, he would realize that this prison must continue forever, with the intention of keeping his masked controller inside.

"Yes Anubias," Mag Mel growled, his voice sounding watery and guttural. Anubias kept his head bent downward. "Can you guess why you have been called here?"

"This is about my rivalry with Sellon and the Twelve Orders, isn't it, Sir?" he responded quietly.

"Not entirely, Anubias. In fact, I believe a little rivalry amongst allies is healthy, wouldn't you agree?" Anubias didn't respond, wondering vaguely if Mag Mel simply found watching his underlings fight to the death amusing. "I have a task for you, Anubias."

"Master?"

"As you know, the only way for me to break the chains that bind me here is to produce a surge of Chaos Energy," the creature growled. "That energy flows to me through these chains, feeding me, quenching, but just barely so, my undeniable thirst for power." Anubias glanced up at him. "That is why you and Sellon have been tasked with infiltrating Bakugan Interspace. For each battle those kids are involved in, power flows to me. I am connected to Bakugan Interspace on a nearly biological level thanks to these chains. Not that those brats of the Brawlers could ever hope to figure that out."

"Sire, I am aware of all the things you have just explained," Anubias stated, staring up at Mag-Mel. "Surely you must have some new task for me?"

"Patience, Anubias." There was a warning interlaced with his words, which Anubias hastened to heed. Mag-Mel continued. "I wish for you to go to Bakugan Interspace, but this time, disguised as a Gundalian. You are to make contact with the Brawlers and challenge the one named Spectra."

"The Vestal Darkus brawler?"

"Yes. He used to be a Pyrus battler at one time, and if what Kazarina told me is correct, then he was even strong enough to take Dan Kuso's Drago from him."

"What?"

"And he forced him to do battle against our little friend." The two were silent for a moment, and Aubias returned his gaze to the bottomless floor below him.

"Anubias, do not let your desire to fight Dan Kuso's get in the way of our mission," Mag-Mel warned. If he still had a mouth, Anubias was sure he would be frowning. "You know what I seek. The Gate and the Key. It is only a matter of time before we get out hands on the Gate, and the Key we can take at any time."

"I understand, Sire." Mostly he just wanted Mag Mel to stop with the scolding tone that so easily concealed an icy threat.

"When you arrive in Bakugan Interspace, you are to make contact with Spectra only after the Chaos Bakugan you bring with you begin to cause trouble. Make sure the Brawlers are split up. And make sure that you demand that he use Drago as his battling partner."

"Drago?" Genuine surprise took over Anubias's face and voice. "But Spectra doesn't share a Switchcode with Drago."

"I am aware that he does not posses that bond. However, if he is as exceptional a brawler as he has previously alluded to being, I believe his control over the Dragonoid should be nothing if not impressive. His abilities should rival even those of Dan Kuso." The conversation just kept returning to Dan, Anubias couldn't help but jealously acknowledge. He shouldn't have been surprised, considering he was the whole reason why hey were having this conversation in the first place, but something about him simply irked the Gundalian. Maybe it was the threat that he was more powerful than himself, but upon conjuring the memory of the weakened boy fighting against him with nothing but his fists, he reasoned there was no way that was the cause of his resentment.

"Do you understand what is expected of you?"

"Do you require Sellon's interference? Or Ren's involvement?"

"That is your decision. I do not care how you do things as long as you maximize the potential Chaos Energy that is produced. With such a large group as the Brawlers, surely the amount will be substantial. As far as Ren being involved, I would advise that you proceed with caution. He is more powerful than he seems to realize."

"I understand, Master." Anubias lowered his gaze to the floor in a fleeting gesture of respect, one that he knew Mag Mel would not object to so long as it was quick, before rising to his feet. No sooner had he risen did his feet vanished, followed by the rest of his body, leaving behind nothing but a cascade of silvery sparkles.

Rin scowled from her position on her bed up at the dull grey ceiling. An annoying, pulsing pain was shooting from the long, red burn that lined her jaw. As much as she wanted to clench her teeth, she didn't dare, for the pain would sear. Instead, she was forced to settle with boring a look of distaste through the metal paneling above her.

It wasn't fair! Angrily, Rin pushed herself into a sitting position. Why did Anubias get all the fun jobs? All she did was sit around all day! Sure, she couldn't remember anything past two days before, but she could feel that that was all she had been doing for a long time.

A fist came up to rest over her heart, as if she were trying to hold onto the fiery anger that blazed below her sternum. She could feel it in the tightness of her chest, in the anger that seemed to have been conjured from nothing; it felt like all she had ever done was sit and wait for someone else to get things done. Like she had always been the dead weight, dragged around by the other members of the team...

"Yeah, 'cause we're a 'team'," she scoffed, then blinked when she realized she had spoken out loud. _Team? _Her attention then snapped to that word._ Team._ Why did she use 'team'? That was a word to describe the exact _opposite_ of what she was in relation to Sellon, Anubias and the Twelve Orders.

After a moment, though, her confusion about the usage of such an imprecise word faded, and her attention flicked to another subject. Her brain didn't seem to want to focus on one thing for too long, she thought with fleeting interest. Something in her gut told her it hadn't always been like that, but now, even though it wasn't a major cause for concern, it was unsettling.

Rin ran a hand through her hair, trying to recall the events of the days prior. As usual, nothing appeared before her aside from that constant blankness, that gap in her memories that no bridge would span. She supposed that at one point she expected the lack of knowledge would irritate her. On the contrary, she found it to be alright. Maybe she did something she regretted before. Now she didn't know, and she guessed that if she had any painful memories, this made up for them. This lack of knowing was actually rather comforting, but eerie at the same time.

_Why do I have so many conflicting emotions?,_ she wondered briefly before her mind switched gears again. When was Anubias going to get back?

Irritation pricked her fingers again when she realized that information eluded her, just like all the other essential tidbits of knowing that had been forced from her mind. Now she was irritated with the lack of knowing, which she had thought before was blissful. With a groan to convey her ever-present confusion, she rose from her place on her bed. Her cape flapped to life behind her, just as her skirt and veil did. As much as she had desired removing the veil, her mistress had forbidden it. She recalled feeling resentment toward the petty accessory from the very beginning, but nevertheless, her mistress's word was law. She had found that out the hard way.

Pushing aside a thought for once, Rin made her way to the door, only pausing when a figure moved in the corner. Startled, she turned toward the movement. A sigh escaped her. This had to be at least the ninth time she had mistaken the image in the mirror for an alien figure. Instead, her own eyes gazed back at her, a mesmerizing, hypnotic gold. A thin, black line sliced down the center of the orb, splitting it effectively in half. Even though they were her own eyes, something about them was unfamiliar, and this wasn't the first time such foolish sentiments reached out to strike her. Every time she looked in a mirror (which she had been told she did often), a stranger gazed back, one with undisguised malice declared openly.

Rin shivered before running a hand along the back of the veil in a vain attempt to smooth it down (another thing she had been told: she obsessed about her appearance). Frankly, she found the action to be tedious and foreign. She had expected muscle memory to have started to return some of her waking memories, but it wasn't reaching out. The anger flared up again.

Rin grunted before jerking her gaze away from the mirror and reaching out for the doorknob. Her mind snatched at the purpose of her leaving, struggled to gain a foothold. An image of Kazarina and of Sellon swam up before her eyes, and as she pulled the door open, she jumped in surprise.

There stood Sellon herself, wearing a confident smirk upon her lavender face. Runo had been told that she had been around Sellon and Anubias her whole life, but when she looked into Sellon's eyes, she could see nothing that hinted at previous companionship.

The Nethian stood there confidently, eying Rin with a curious glint in her eye. Puzzlement took over her features, but Rin was suddenly struck by the feeling that it was false.

"Why, good morning, Rin," she drawled, fake cheerfulness permeating her otherwise hostile voice. It vibrated somewhere deep in Rin's ears, making her shiver. Never one to give in to the pride of others, Rin held her head high when she addressed who clearly thought of herself as her superior.

"Good morning, Sellon. What are you doing here?"

"My, aren't you straight and to the point," the Nethian commented, pushing past Rin and allowing herself into the room. Rin stepped to the side in annoyance, crossing her arms as the fabric over the lower portion of her face fluttered and tickled her chin. Sellon glanced around leisurely before settling herself in the desk chair on the opposite side of the room, taking care to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress before lifting her gaze to Rin once more. Her condescending grin never faltered, and Rin was momentarily unsure of what she hated most; Sellon's mightier-than-thou attitude or the lack of memories of slapping the grin off her face.

Rin frowned. She wasn't even sure why she suddenly didn't like Sellon. Since she 'woke up', as Mistress Kazarina had put it, she had thought of Sellon with the utmost respect and even reverence. Sellon was graceful, beautiful, and had a certain eloquence that Rin could certainly never hope to achieve. She carried herself with the confident air of a mature woman, which Rin somehow knew she didn't posses herself. On top of that, Sellon was one that was singled out for missions by the Master! She was allowed to go to the world where their enemies were every day, a task that Rin yearned for. Sellon was everything Rin wanted to be. Why today she harbored a borderline hostility for the woman was a mystery to her.

A second later, the thought dropped from her head as though erased existence by a candle snuffer. As much as she struggled to grab onto the fleeting thought, it was gone, and Rin knew she would not be able to reclaim it. Her anger had dissipated with it, released into a void between space. The reverence reappeared, along with the knowledge that Sellon only _appeared_ to think she was superior. Sellon wanted what was best for her, Rin reasoned as she struggled to organize her thoughts. Sellon was her friend, her comrade. Someone to be trusted. _Right?_

It was with a tired and slightly irritated sigh that she realized Sellon had been speaking, that she had now stopped, and that she had not been listening.

"I-I'm sorry," Rin stammered when Sellon raised an eyebrow at her silence. The familiar yet eerie reverence only sped up the embarrassment that was taking over her. "I wasn't listening, could you please repeat that?" Sellon narrowed her eyes in concern.

"Of course. I was asking if when Anubias returns from his... excursion with the Brawlers, you would like to join us for dinner?" Rin blinked. 'Brawlers' was a term she recalled, one that she had held in her heart with an odd feeling to accompany it. However, instead of pursuing this thought, the meaning of Sellon's words pushed it out of her head. Rin stared at her in surprise.

"Really? You want me to dine with you?" she repeated, regarding the mere suggestion as a fragile teacup that could break at any second. A small flicker of fear twisted in her stomach, but she forced herself to ignore it and ponder it later.

Sellon was smirking like she found Rin's surprise amusing. _She probably does_, Rin thought, before the thought was whisked away and replaced by excitement that felt fake, even to her. She gave it a moment and it manifested itself more strongly, purely. She _was_ excited. This was what she had always wanted, right?

"I would be honored," Rin breathed, again treading gently as though the moment would break into pieces. Sellon smiled.

"I am glad to hear it. I thought that perhaps spending some time with your former teammates you would regain some of your memories from that time before your accident." Rin nodded as she recalled them telling her she had lost a battle against the Brawlers, and that was the source of her memory loss. Somehow she had gotten injured.

Sellon's face morphed into concern. "I do hope you know that we aren't keeping you here because we feel you're incompetent," she said worriedly. Rin gazed at her curiously. "Oh no, we would never do that! You see, Mistress Kazarina and the Master are both very worried for your wellbeing. You hurt yourself rather badly in that battle-you were out for several hours!" Rin licked her lips and rolled the lower one over her teeth to moisten it effectively, for it was quite dry. "In fact, Anubias is out on Earth right now, getting revenge for their cruelty!" Rin shivered in surprise.

"Really?" she whispered, walking over to Sellon and sitting down on the floor in front of her. She gazed up at the Nethian's large, blue eyes as she pulled her legs underneath her body. Sellon smiled sadly at her naïveté.

"Oh Rin, you really have lost your memories, haven't you?" There was a solemn mourning in her voice that called forth a nearby sadness within Rin. "Have you really forgotten all the good the Master has promised? All the beauty he has promised to bring about? And all the kindness he has shown you?" Rin looked up at her helplessly, embarrassment flooding her senses. Sellon looked down at her in distress before reaching out a clawed hand.

"Oh my darling," she cooed, running her black, pointed fingertips along Rin's hairline. Gently, they flattened against her head and guided her head to her own leg, where Rin remained in surprise. The action felt... wrong... but also very comforting... "I can't believe that you really don't remember! It's so unfair! It should have been me instead, not you, with all of your potential... You almost won, you know." Rin looked up at her in surprise to find that Sellon's face had darkened. "But then those fiendish cheaters set you up! Another joined the fight and they fought you two against one!" The anger in Sellon's voice was starting to make Rin nervous.

Sellon moved her hands to Rin's shoulders and she gently rolled the desk chair backward. She dropped fluidly to her knees in front of Rin, taking care to make sure that her black dress wasn't displaced in the process. Rin marveled at how each and every move Sellon made had its own element of elegance to it, and each action was effortless.

"But I promise you, Rin, we will never let them hurt you again!" Sellon vowed with conviction. "We'll make the Brawlers pay for their crimes- and the Master's reign will be absolute. It will be beautiful, and all the criminals will be punished! Everyone the Brawlers have hurt, everyone who rises to challenge the Master's right judgement will be silenced! We'll enter into an era of peace and beauty, one that no one will every be able to challenge! _We_ will make it perfect. _We_ will make sure that everyone is satisfied, and that the Master rule is _absolute!_"

Her voice had risen in volume with each proclamation of good that the Master had assured her would come to pass, and Rin found herself accepting it. Yes, the Master truly cared for her. Mistress Kazarina had only burned her because in her amnesia, she had thought that the Twelve Orders were in the wrong. But now, as Sellon described all the good that the Master had promised would come, Rin knew what side she belonged on.

"Yes," Rin whispered. Sellon's gaze returned from where it was fixed on the wall to Rin's eyes, where a vehement patriotism blazed. "Yes!" she declared more strongly. "The Master _will_ fix everything! I can't believe I've forgotten all of this. We will make the Brawlers pay for all the suffering they've inflicted-not just on me, I'm only one insignificant person. But on everyone else they've _hurt_." Sellon's eyes brightened in triumph.

"Yes, my dear Rin," she cooed, wrapping her arms around Rin's shoulders. Rin stiffened at first, shocked by Sellon's blatant display of affection, before melting into the hug. The two girls embraced fluidly, and a warm feeling came over the pale, blue haired teen. "We shall bring them _justice._" The word was accompanied by a tightening of the embrace, and then the girls broke apart. Sellon smiled at Rin, who returned a starry-eyed look of reverence.

Sellon stood and smoothed out her dress, the confident grin back in place. "I do hope you'll excuse me, but I do have a few important matters to attend to. Please, come to my room at around six o'clock," she directed, in reply to which Rin nodded enthusiastically. "Anubias shall be there with me. Then maybe we'll find a restaurant in a town nearby to enjoy a decent meal."

"That sounds wonderful," Rin gushed, not pausing for a minute to ponder how ridiculous she sounded. Sellon flashed her one last approving smile before heading toward the door.

Once it had closed behind her, Sellon allowed her grin to drop, replaced with a look of disgust. That girl was so easy to fool it was almost pathetic. If she hadn't known that Kazarina was manipulating Rin's thoughts from afar, she would have absolutely despised the girl. Such emptiness of mind was never healthy for anyone, not even those one misleads on secret missions such as this.

As Sellon made her way through the maze of corridors that made up this intricate building, she found herself taking deep pride in her ability to mislead others. Rin was nothing but a pawn, she reminded herself, as were her teammates in Bakugan Interspace, Chris and Soon. Now those two girls had truly empty heads-they were completely incapable of thinking for themselves. Well, Chris maybe had that ability somewhere in her, but Soon? One only had to dangle a bauble in front of her face and she'd jump around proclaiming whatever profanity she was fed!

Sellon sighed and paused in the hallway to run a hand along her ponytail. It was smooth, almost with the texture of rubber. Nothing like the thin, numerous filaments that rained down her back in her human guise. At the moment, Sellon wasn't sure which she liked more, but her mind latched onto a more pressing subject as Kazarina rounded the corner.

"Good work, Sellon," she commented, a gleeful smirk conveying her pleasure. "I can feel that Rin is coming around quite nicely."

"I must agree, Mistress," Sellon sneered in spite of herself. "Although I must admit, she is quite irritating."

"That is nothing how she acts when she isn't being controlled," Kazarina frowned. "She is actually quite impulsive. She refuses to listen when she is on her own."

"I remember her battle with yourself and Stoica. It appears I wouldn't like her either way," Sellon commented, placing a hand on her hip. "What are your plans for her?"

"I believe that she should be allowed to fight Sid," Kazarina mused, resting her right elbow in her left hand and then resting her chin on her free hand. "We can easily lead her into thinking that she will get the chance to battle Dan after she proves herself."

"I think that her desire to fight Dan will only increase after today," Sellon said. "I'm not sure if she knows he is the leader of the Battle Brawlers, and she now believes that the Battle Brawlers are a serious threat."

"Keep as much of that information from her as possible. You have done well, Sellon," Kazarina smirked. Sellon sneered. "Now, if you're up for it, I have an additional task for you..."

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh... I had writers block and school killed me this week. I finally got the motivation to write (randomly might I add) yesterday, and then my mom kept talking to me which threw me off. Oh well. I practically passed out from lack of sleep yesterday, so I guess this means no more going to bed at midnight on school nights...<strong>

**Anyway, I hope that was okay... I'm still working on the art that I had in mind for this story... We'll see how that turns out if I ever actually finish it. And hopefully I'll be able to keep updating this through the school year (the only classes that aren't Honors Level for me are Religion and Chemistry. I'm screwed).**

***Edit***

**(11/26/12)**

**You can find a few photos of my notes for the coming chapters (As well as ideas that have been scraped) on my deviantart page. The link to the specific picture is on my profile! I'm sorry I haven't updated this in 2 months, a friend of mine passed away then I watched another friend of mine almost die while choking, and then I've been up until midnight and 2 AM doing homework, so I haven't had much spare time. I'm really sorry and I intend to update soon (I have a few pages of the next chapter done actually), and I promise I will.**

**Review!**


	21. Out of Sync

**"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean." - Maya Angelou**

* * *

><p>Ren hissed as Linehalt fended off yet another attack, causing rubble and other debris to cascade down from the nearby building. Loud explosions shook the air and the ground beneath Ren's feet, but he had adapted to the near constant tremors easily enough. It was like getting your sea legs, except this swaying changed with each new vibration. The only thing he had trouble getting used to were the yells from nearby Bakugan battlers as they struggled to avoid the multicolored beams of light that rained down on them.<p>

Speaking of such inconveniences, Ren shielded his head again, throwing his arms up in an "x" shape in a hope of staving off the warm winds. Another bang shook the area and he shifted his weight to accommodate the surging ground, but then found himself on one knee to keep from completely falling over. A grunt of surprise was drawn from his lips, his hand slammed into the cracked grey floor, just as more terrified shouts rose up behind him. Coughs, howls, and screams made up the mess of noise that hung in the air. All of it reminded Ren of the war.

With strong but weary effort, Ren forced himself to his feet again, taking note of the fact that Linehalt was breathing hard. Ren frowned and turned, taking in several young teenagers clutching others, some with tears running down their dirty and sweaty faces. Many of them were panting as if they had been running (which was what Ren had been seeing a lot), whereas others were just sobbing with fear. His eyes softened in sympathy. They didn't ask for this.

"_Ren, the access point is only a few hundred meters away,_" an urgent voice said in his ear. He lifted a hand to the earpiece, pressing it harder into his ear to hear better. Zenet continued. "_Can you get those kids to it?_"

"I think we can manage," Ren muttered before gasping and leaping out of the way of an oncoming blast. The force of the collision between the beam and the ground sent him flying a few meters, but he was back on his feet seconds later.

"_You okay_?" Ren grunted in response, quickly assessing a few minor scrapes on his hands. His elbows were beyond bruised and he fairly certain he had broken a rib, but it was nothing in comparison to the punishments he had received in the past. He gritted his teeth and turned to face the teens who were watching him with scared eyes. A few were wide in admiration and one girl was murmuring something to her sister that sounded like, "He's amazing", but Ren couldn't be sure of what she said.

"The access point is close," he called out, capturing their gazes. "You're going to have to keep running, but once you get there, you should be safe. Linehalt and the others will cover you. Do you think you can make it?"

"Darkness Blizzard!" Linehalt cried out, and a torrent of purple energy and snow shot away from them. Ren ignored the blasts that exploded against it, instead keeping his determined gaze locked on his charge.

"Well?" A few nods and several shaky sounds of confirmation met his ears. He nodded and pulled the closest teen to his feet. The boy looked at him, startled, while Ren put his hands on his shoulders. "You've gotta watch the rear. This is a very important job. Can you make sure no one falls behind?" A mouth open in surprise twitched as if to say something, but when no sound poured forth, the boy eventually resorted to answering with a nod. Ren nodded back and patted his shoulder briskly before glancing around to see how his own comrades were faring.

Shun didn't appear to be having much trouble. Taylean and Hawktor were both evading the offense of their opponents with relative ease. Shun was perched on Hawktor's shoulder, hunkering down against the onslaught. His white tailcoat flared out behind him in the wind while he used his arms to protect his face. However, the smug look of satisfaction at being able to take out his frustrations on a battle was obvious even across the distance between he and Ren.

Spectra, a formal rival of the Brawlers just as Ren had been, was engaged in battle with the Chaos Bakugan nearby. He and his Darkus Helios were keeping the enemies at bay with even more ease than Shun was experiencing despite his use of only one Bakugan. Drago opted to watch from Spectra's shoulder, calling out words of advice every so often, only some of which Spectra chose to heed. When one Bakugan fell, another instantly came forward to replace it, but like Shun, Spectra appeared to be enjoying this change of pace. Before, he had been engaging in battle only one every few days, instead opting to aid Mira, Ren and Marucho in the control room. It was obvious prior to this that he was growing agitated with all of the paperwork associated with that lifestyle, even though Ren barely knew the man. When working with computers, he took off his mask, much to Ren's relief, but now he was wearing it once more. It couldn't disguise his enjoyment of this violence, however. Even though Ren had been assured that Spectra rarely smiled, he had noticed a few grins during successful attacks.

Ren had been able to pick up easily that a few of his attacks were being executed poorly, some even missing their intended target completely for their lack of proper timing. During their introductions (and due to the fact that Ren and Spectra's rooms were in the same hallway), Ren had learned that Mira was his sister. Said red head was still recovering from the battle that landed her in the hospital two days prior. Ren hadn't seen her since the EMT's carried her from Marucho's mansion (Marucho had declared that the care she needed could not be provided by the infirmary in his building), and although he wasn't losing sleep over her condition, he couldn't help but be worried himself. Over the week that they had worked together, he had grown fond of her upbeat attitude. It was clear to everyone, though, that although Spectra did not often express his feelings, he was worried about his sister.

In a way, he supposed, Spectra's reaction was similar to his own when Fabia had been hit in her battle with Stoica and Kazarina.

There were other groups scattered throughout Interspace; Ren's team was one of five. Fabia, Paige, Rafe and Linus were taking care of a group of Chaos Bakugan while defending one of the four remaining Access Points; Ace, Baron, Maron and Obsidian, Maron's Caretaker friend, were trying to escort a large group of kids to Fabia's Access Point. Mason, Lena, and Gus were guarding another Access Point while Jake, Julie and Jesse took another. The last one a team of brawlers that fought with two mysterious new brawlers, Anubias and Sellon, were guarding. Shun had been reluctant to give them this task despite their considerable skill and assigned them one of the other Caretakers from New Vestroia, Birch, the Pyrus brawler, to oversee their actions. Isamu, the Ventus brawler, had wanted to come, as he was a human and felt that this was his fight, but due to his paralysis from the waist down, he would only be a liability.

If Princess Cassie, the current ruler-in-training of Vestal, had not allowed these extra forces to be deployed, Ren wasn't sure if they would be able to keep the Chaos Bakugan at bay in the same way they currently were. This onslaught was surprisingly strong and, as far as he could tell, completely spontaneous. He, like Shun and Ace, he was sure, had his suspicions that this was somehow connected to Kazarina and the surviving members of the Twelve Orders, but he had never seen these Bakugan before. Other than this suspicion and the look Fabia got on her face when they learned of the invasion, he had no further grounds to support his theory. He could only hope this wasn't connected.

Ren returned his attention from his private musings to the task at hand as a nearby blast jarred him back to reality. Kids were now getting to their feet; word had spread quickly that they were going to make a run for it again. Mumbles of complaint were silenced by a cold look from Ren and a few of the older kids who understood the gravity of the situation. Ren couldn't help but feel a dangerous rush of hope. They could get these kids out safely, he realized. The Access Point wasn't far; they could make it.

"Linehalt, you ready?" Ren called, bracing himself against another tremor.

"Just say the word, Ren," Linehalt replied strongly, slashing at the Chaos Bakugan in front of him with his Dark Saber. Ren gave a wry grin that was quickly replaced with a frown of concentration.

"Alright! Go!" he cried, grabbing the wrist of the nearest child and pulling him in the direction of the Access Point. The kids all began to take off, charging off in hot pursuit of freedom and safety. Twin girls took the lead, their blond hair streaking behind them while their white and red dresses, now stained with dirt and in some areas scorched, waved in the wind. A boy and a girl held up close behind them, hand in hand and looking absolutely terrified. His brown hair bounced with each leap as he led her through the rubble, trying to secure her future. Her white and purple skirt was torn, but she didn't seem to care. She, like the rest of them, was bent on the possibility of safety, of peace, of life.

Ren began his sprint somewhere near the middle of the crowd, where he could should directions to the ones up front and still keep an eye out for stragglers. Rocks were nothing more than blurs in the corners of his vision as he tried to dodge those that sprung up on front of him, catching the elbows of a few who tripped. They had been running for only thirty seconds when a huge blast sent chunks of rubble flying into the air, lifting a cloud of dust and screams.

Ren stumbled, this lack of balance the only warning before his face hit the ground. A sharp stinging instantly started up on his cheek and stars darted across his line of vision, but he was on his feet again seconds after the blast. Thick smoke had blanketed the surrounding area, making it impossible to see more than a few feet in front of his face. Ren grunted, glancing around in search of the kids he was charged to protect. A touch of fear began to tingle in his center.

"_You okay?_" Zenet asked nervously. Part of Ren's mind wondered how she knew what had just happened before he rationalized it. She must have seen the blast on the monitor, or maybe she heard it through the earpiece.

"Ugh... yeah," Ren grimaced, rubbing his face with the back of his hand. Blood now coated his skin, manifesting in a streak heat and stickiness. He sighed.

"Ren, are you okay?" a voice called from above. Ren glanced in that direction, relieved to see Spectra's dark mask peering down at him through the clearing dust. He was perched atop Infinity Helios's head, while Linehalt stood nearby. Ren sighed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is anyone hurt?"

"I'm not sure, I can't see a thing," Linehalt replied in his gentle voice. Ren had to hold back a groan.

"Hey, you down there!"

"Huh?" Ren gasped, jerking his head upward.

"_Who's that?_" Zenet asked. Ren inhaled in surprise.

"He's a... Gundalian?" he breathed.

Sure enough, high above Ren and the dissipating cloud of dust, stood a Gundalian man. He was perched atop a building, but his figure was easy to make out. His hair was spiked and part of it fell in front of the golden horns on his forehead. A chain ran across his chest, and his shirt had some red pattern on it, similar to the one that Ren's Gundalian uniform had. He was too far away for Ren to make out the details of the design, but it looked eerily similar to those red "eyes". He also had two black, pointed shoulder plates with green gems embedded in them adorning his broad shoulders. They were familiar...

"Who... who are you?" Ren asked.

"Heh, you'll know exactly who I am as soon as I beat your friend here. Spectra, I believe your name is?" The man instantly brushed Ren off and turned his attention to Spectra. Ren couldn't say this irritated him because part of him, much to self-disgust, was glad this new enemy wasn't targeting him. The Gundalian crossed his arms. "So tell me, do you think you're strong?"

Spectra was silent, staring at this challenger with a slight air of disinterest. Ren felt his respect for his ally increase with each second of silence that followed.

"Well?" the challenger questioned when Spectra said nothing. "I don't have all day."

"Helios, what do you think?" Spectra asked leisurely. It was almost as though he truly didn't care about his pride, that he might actually walk away from this fight.

"I think that we ought to teach this guy a lesson," Helios growled, "about having respect for his superiors." He flicked his tail. Spectra smirked.

"I agree," he acknowledged. "Ren, do you think you can get those kids to the Access Point without my help?"

"Hold on a sec," Ren protested. "I'm fighting with you!"

"With all due respect, I do believe it best that we assist the two of you," Linehalt agreed. "I do not recognize this Gundalian. He may prove to be a strong battler."

"Do what you wish," Spectra said, unconcerned. Ren felt a stab of annoyance. "I don't care just so long as you do not get in my way. This character may prove to be a threat to the kids we are protecting. Perhaps you should call Zenet to take your place."

"Good idea. Zenet, did you get that?"

"_Copy that, Ren. I'll be there before you know it!_" She snickered. "_I can't wait to watch you two smoke this creep! I've got a bad feeling about him._"

"You and I both, Zenet," Ren murmured.

"_No need Zenet._" Shun's voice filtered through Ren's earpiece. Zenet voiced her confusion just as Ren unconsciously glanced in the direction of his earpiece. "_I'll cover the kids. Ren, just tell them to get going._"

"But Shun-"

"_I'll handle it, Ren. Trust me._" Ren fought the urge to grimace at the sharp edge to his words.

"Ugh, fine," he sighed before turning, discovering with slight relief that the cloud of dust had cleared. Kids were glancing around in confusion, scattered about in a large, uneven circle. At a quick command barked by Ren, the boy that had been tasked with guarding the rear began to organize the disheveled crowd.

"I hate to rain on your parade, but I'm afraid I challenged only one of you," the unnamed Gundalian interjected. Ren glanced up at him. " I wouldn't go making plans of teaming up without the opponents consent, although I will give you points for trying."

"Are you saying you're too weak to take us both on?" Helios growled. "Because if that's the case, Linehalt, he's all yours." Linehalt didn't take his eyes off of the enemy, barely acknowledging that Helios had spoken. Spectra sighed.

"Why should we be bothered with someone that isn't even competent enough to take two of us on by themselves?" the masked brawler agreed. "Defeating you will be mere child's play if that is what you are suggesting."

"Heh. Nice try," the Gundalian chuckled. "I could take the both of you out single handedly if I so desired. And as it so happens, I'm not concerned with you, Helios."

"What?" the Bakugan questioned.

"Be on your guard, Helios," the normally silent Drago called. Helios flicked his tail in response while Ren fought his temptation to glance in Dragos direction. This was the first time he had heard him speak in several hours, he realized.

"Why should I be interested in you when the superior one lurks nearby? I seek a match with Pyrus Titanium Dragonoid. Or, as he is more commonly known, Dan Kuso's partner Bakugan, Drago."

"What?" Drago gasped while the others shared similar reactions.

"How did he know you were there?" Linehalt asked quietly. The Gundalian smirked.

"How I know that is not important. But, if you value his life, Spectra, you will fight me!"

"_What?_" was the response of all the bystanders. Shun, who had just reappeared on the ground among the startled children, froze. Hawktor whirled around, giving a cry of surprise as all the nearby Chaos Bakugan vanished. Taylean, who had been in the middle of dealing a powerful blow, missed his retreating target with a gasp and stumbled to a stop.

"You heard me."

Ren wasn't sure if it was the implication that this character was responsible for Dan's kidnapping or if the smug tone he was using; Shun snapped. He had spun on his feet, launched himself in the air, and landed atop the same building their enemy had claimed before any of them knew what had happened. Before he could react, the Gundalian had been kicked beneath the chin so hard that his head snapped back. He grunted in pain, stumbling. Shun used this momentum to send himself into a backflip, recovered through a back handspring, then sent himself flying at the Gundalian again. His eyes widened and he tried to avoid this attack, but he was not quick enough to avoid several sharp, practiced punches to the torso. Barely ten seconds later, the man was lying, stunned, on the rooftop, while Shun quickly arrived at his side. His left hand closed around the fabric of his shirt mercilessly, using startling strength to yank the muscular man's chest toward his own while his right hand was drawn back, waiting to strike. His head jerked forward so that his nose was mere centimeters away from Shun's. Amber eyes full of stunning hatred and anger blazed into golden slits which had constricted to half their normal size-not in fear of course, but in surprise, as Shun analyzed, memorized, scrutinized every shadow, every pore of this new face. The gray skin, the boomerang-shaped dark markings that decorated his cheeks, the three horns that mimicked a beard along his jaw bone.

It was with a frighteningly demonic hiss that was so unlike his usual demeanor that Shun demanded, "_Where is he?_"

The Gundalian stared at him in surprise for a moment before his startled expression morphed into one of cruel mirth. "Ah, Shun. I didn't expect you to lose your temper so soon. And after something something so trivial, too. Don't think that your ninja skills are going to help you out here. You're playing with the big boys now."

"Why you-!" Shun snarled, the hand waiting to strike shaking from his effort to hold it back. "Does it look like I'm interested in playing your game? Tell me where he is!"

"My, my, temper, temper, Shun," he teased with an insane glint in his eye. Shun's pupils shrank. "Remember, we hold nine lives in our hands. Or have you forgotten about Runo and Joe?"

Spectra breathed in sharply, and Ren was sure he was thinking the same thing he was himself.

_Nine lives?_

Shun didn't notice this wording, nor did he even say anything this time; his fist just collided with the Gundalians face. A small grunt fell from the mans lips while Shun also let out a cry. His anger, his hatred, all of it poured forth in this one blow. Numbly, Shun released him and stood, backing away one forced step at a time. His breath came in ragged, rage-filled gasps, and his fists were clenched so hard they were white. The blood that ran down his knuckles contrasted sharply with this change in skin tone, pouring from boomerang-shaped breaks in his skin.

The Gundalian grunted, shooting a glare in Shun's direction, as he rubbed his jaw and grimaced. There was a long, scarlet streak now extending from just beneath his eye to the horn on the right side of his chin. Three beads of blood decorated each dark crescent on that side of his face respectively, organic jewelry that he now wiped off with a look of disinterest.

"Who _are_ you?" Ren asked again, finally bringing himself to distract himself from Shun's tirade.

The Gundalian huffed. "It doesn't matter. What does matter, though, is that I know where your precious Dan is."

"If you have so much as touched a hair on his head, I will tear you to _shreds_," Drago shouted, all of a sudden shooting forward from Spectra's shoulder. The Gundalian, Spectra, Ren and Shun all gasped, shielding their eyes as Drago began to glow with a brilliant red light. Seconds later, a huge, bright red dragon stood before them, surrounded by a huge, vibrant red flame. A roar unlike anything Ren had ever heard tore through the air, and the sheer power of the sound knocked everyone within five hundred feet off their feet. Linehalt, Helios, Taylean and Hawktor were forced back into ball form with yells of surprise, while the Gundalian atop the building was sent flying head over heels.

The only two to recover, though, were Spectra and the unnamed Gundalian. Both were on their feet again within seconds, while Ren, Shun, and the children nearby all lay in daze. The Gundalian stared at Drago in mild surprise before smirking, lifting his hand up into the air.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" he shouted before letting out a yell. All of a sudden, a device around his wrist glowed a dazzling rainbow color, causing Spectra to look up in confusion. Drago followed his gaze, his anger dulling only an instant in allowance of surprise. There, for above them, a gate had opened, shooting off large bolts of lightning in response to the digital environment. Down floated a single, black dragon Bakugan as lightning branched out around it. Slowly it emerged, drawing closer to Drago's level with each passing second.

It didn't even stand a chance.

Not even thirty seconds had passed before Drago shot forward with a fierce battle cry, his body glowing a luminous, fiery red. Spectra, in surprise but respect for Drago's anger, whipped his hand around in front of his body, calling out, "Ability, activate! Core buster!"

Instantly, a powerful, destructive ray of red shot out of Drago's mouth, dividing into a shower of meteor-like beams before slamming into the Iron Dragonoid with a loud crash. The Bakugan let out a screech of pain, and then Drago was upon it, his fists raised. They fell upon this Bakugan with startling, amazing speed, colliding with every exposed surface as hard as Drago could possibly punch.

"Drago," Helios growled from where he now floated by Spectra's shoulder. His amazement was obvious in his voice, an amazement reserved only for his formal rival. Spectra stared at Drago's heavy barrage of attacks with a similar look on his face, his teeth clenched but his lips parted. Drago's eyes were his main focus, though, eyes which were shining a brilliant reddish-white.

Drago's attacks only stopped for an instant during which he shot back from the Iron Dragonoid before him. His back arched, his legs folded beneath him, and his arms bent in front of his chest as he collected the power that glowed around him in a concentrated form. Spectra, an experienced battler, felt what ability he was to use next rather than consciously thought about it. He raised his own arms in that split second, matching Drago's timing almost perfectly. With only a few milliseconds delay, he cried out, "Ability, activate! Dragon Hard Striker!"

Instantly, lightning strikes filled the air, completely surrounding the Iron Dragonoid in a cage of violent electricity. A roar filled the ears of all observing, prompting Ren's mouth to fall open as he lifted his gaze from the ground to the sky. The Iron Dragonoid let out a roar of its own, one stricken with pain. The Gundalian on the roof stared on in shock, already amazed at Drago's display of sheer, violent power.

And then, on a planet far away, an innocent held captive, forced through torture and, at the present moment, in the midst of yet another mind-bending vision, arched his back. His eyes opened in horror, terror, agony even, as a burning completely unlike what he had been experiencing started up beneath his temples. He yelled as his eyes took on a demonic red glow and the familiar image of a many eyed, yellow masked creature flashed before them. The creature let out a similar cry of bewilderment, followed by an exclamation of his confusion. The boy gasped, forcing out rapid, breathless grunts of pain as red and white bombarded his retinas, colors and lights that were not actually before him.

But then there was a new image, a new, _familiar_ image. An image of a friendly persona, someone the captive knew better than he knew even himself. Someone whose eyes had taken on the same glow that his own now featured, and both were aware of the other's presence in their head.

_DRAGO!_

_DAN!_

And then there was a loud shout, one that came not from the two whose minds were now Linked. "Rise, Mechtagon Venexus!"

Dan and Drago both jerked as though they had been physically struck, hair shifting and tail twitching. Suddenly, there were black, inky tendrils rising up from Drago's body, while Dan felt, literally _felt_, a light blaze to life around him. It held a warmth that was more than physical; it was comforting, pleasant. His fears and all of his struggles, all of his pain, was suddenly washed away, carried off by a healing flame.

Suddenly, a huge, red metallic creature appeared before Drago, floating down with startling speed in between a similar being. Shouts of surprise from voices that Dan recognized rang out, along with a surprised exclamation from someone whose name floated into the consciousness between Bakugan and Brawler._Anubias..._

"How did he bring out a Mechtagon?" Anubias cried out.

A malevolent laugh rang out between the two.

Both halves of fire went rigid.

_I... CAN'T... MOVE..._

_NEITHER... CAN... I..._

All of a sudden, the red "Mechtagon" shot forward. It barreled into the black one, earning a horrible metallic screech. The black one-Venexus-flew backward, propelled by an amazing amount of force. It slammed into the Iron Dragonoid and careened into nearby building, the one just to the left of the one Anubias was perched on. A cloud of dust exploded into the air with a horrible amount of rubble, just as the sound of a Bakugan returning to ball form reached them. More screams rose up in the area around the battle, and Dan felt Drago's consciousness begin to pull away from his own. Fear, fear for the onlookers washed over him, but neither of them could free themselves from this paralysis.

The red Mechtagon recovered easily from the blow, flinging its legs out in front of it and coming to an easy stop. The dust cleared slowly, but when it did, it revealed Anubias standing alone atop his building, looking confused and horrified. The Mechtagon and Bakugan were no where in sight.

Drago pulled again, yet Dan felt himself paralyzed still. Something shifted out of place, and Drago's consciousness moved away. _NO! _Dan cried desperately.

Something broke, shattered between the two. Dan was back in his room, shot up into a sitting position with a look of terror on his face. The pain returned, bombarding every nerve in his body with a sensation so horrible, so unbearable, that he instantly felt the contents of his stomach pour out of his mouth. His vomit burned, blazed a trail of fire and ice through his esophagus.

It took him a few moments to recover from this bout of nausea, but he barely noticed these tribulations. His mind was elsewhere, far away, locked on what he had seen, what he had felt, what he had _heard._

_Drago._

* * *

><p><strong>HUGE THANKS TO EMPRESSPYRUS FOR PMING ME THE OTHER DAY AND FINALLY GETTING ME BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS. Oh my goodness, these past few months have been Hell (I know I said that before but that was before people started dying) but hopefully with the start of a whole new year things will go better.<strong>

**Review!**


	22. Why?

**Um... It appears as though I freaked a lot of you out with a completely unintentional cliffhanger... Yeah, sorry about that... I didn't think it was a cliffhanger mostly because, in my mind, the battle was over... Granted, I didn't convey that clearly enough because where the chapter ended seemed like the best place to end it... So yeah, sorry about making you wait ten days to find that out...**

**Just so you know, this chapter is a bit shorter than some of my other ones (considering my longest was 9,000 words O_O), but that's because this author's note is really long... Yeah... sorry; you can skip this if you want.**

**Anyway, I want to take this time to thank all of my reviewers/readers. I clearly DO NOT DESERVE ANY OF THE SUPPORT YOU GIVE ME. NONE of it. None of it AT ALL. I am so grateful for you guys I can't even begin to express it, so thank you all SO MUCH.**

**Thanks especially to those of you that reviewed on the last chapter (even though I PMed I think all of you, I want to say it again):**

**Guest: Yeah... I feel bad about not updating... I'm really, really sorry (especially to the poor souls that were undoubtably suffering from that Butterfly Effect...). Sorry about the unintentional cliffie; I swear, after that three months, I would NOT have willingly tortured you like that. Unfortunately, this chapter is (most likely) going to be depressing... and there's still quite a bit more dark stuff to come... But things will get better! ...you know... eventually...**

**Vandalia Sakura: Yay! I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to review; it means a lot to me! I hope this one is good, too!**

**EmpressPyrus: First of all, I FREAKING LOVE YOU for PMing me to update. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I didn't even think about Ren and Shun and Spectra being too strong; I probably should have, because you have a very good point. I'm debating revising that... As far as bringing the girls into it, you'll probably be seeing a bit more of them soon. I'm just really annoyed at all of the creators of this show for not showing any character development. That leaves too much and, at the same time, too little to work with -_- Oh well. Gotta blaze my own trail, huh?**

**spyrodramon: I'm really thankful for your review; I should probably have you beta-read these things. I need to work on grammatical/spelling errors; it's really bad -_- Yeah, the formal rival thing should have been former... You know, when I get a free moment (or ten) I have to go back and look at that... I'm glad that you liked it, thank you so much for reading!**

**Jia-Lerman-Jonas: Thank you so much for reading this! It really means a lot to me that you think so highly of this story. Sorry to leave it at annoying spots (although I did not intend for that to be annoying... oops...) but thank you so much for reading!**

**Iwataki: Thank you for your review! I am so happy that you think this is good; it's really a lot of fun to write now that the action is picking up! (in a few chapters you are going to hate me, though... so I'll bask in the love while I can xD) I do hope that I can continue to make you happy with this. I really am so undeserving... Thank you so much!**

**KathyxDan: Haha, thanks! It's always a treat to get a review in all caps like that ^_^ It's like candy, knowing that someone is so enthusiastic... Thank you so much for reading!**

**...I think that's everyone... Yeah... If you've reviewed on a previous chapter, please know that I am eternally grateful for your support. I had no idea that I would receive so many followers/reviewers/faves on this (this one has the most out of all of my stories) so I am REALLY happy :). Thank you all so much, and I'm going to shut up now before I go on and on about how happy I am that you're reading this because then I would kinda be eliminating the point...**

**WOW that was a long author's note. Anyway, *pulls back curtain* here's the chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>"Caress the one, the Never Fading, Rain in your heart, the tears of snow white sorrow, Caress the one, the hiding amaranth, In a land of the daybreak," - Amaranth, Nightwish<strong>

_"If we get them back-"_

_"_When _we get them back."_

_"When we get them back," the girl sniffed, "I don't know what I'll say to her!" She choked, trying to control her sobs. "I was so horrible to her!"_

_The red haired young woman she was speaking to closed her eyes. A tears fell from where they pooled, crystalline and spherical for just the fraction of a second they were in the air. The red haired woman kept her eyes closed, barely controlling her own sorrow, as she fought to ease that of her friend._

_"Alice," the silver haired girl whimpered, her fingers tightening around her friend's pajama's, "do you think she'll ever forgive me?"_

_"Of course she will," Alice replied automatically, her eyes opening enough for her to squint at the wall. Damp lashes obscured her view of anything more than a dark, shadowy blur._

_"But what if she doesn't?" the girl fretted. Her voice was strained, hoarse from her tears. It was discomforting to their ears."It's my fault! It's my fault she was taken!"_

_"No, it wasn't," Alice soothed, not for the first time. Her hands continued their soothing movements across her friend's back. "None of this was your fault. The Gundalians, they're the ones that took her. _They_ took our friends."_

_"They took Joe because they took Runo, and they took Runo because I made her leave!" the girl cried shrilly. Hysteria always refused to listen to reason. "She left where it was safe because of what I said!"_

_"Julie," Alice said quietly, pulling back from their embrace. Her hands, chilled yet warm, like the love she often showed, easily moved to Julie's upper arms. The girl bowed her head, taking quick, tearful breaths and forcing most of those out with little whimpers. Her head jerked back and forth._

_"You must hate me!" Hysteria insisted. _Evil _insisted._

_Alice shook her head slowly, resolutely, her eyes closed and her mouth set in a grim line. _

_"_No. _I don't hate you. I could never hate you." Julie tried to hold back a sob, but only half succeeded. "Look at me." _

_It took her a minute, but Julie did manage to lift her gaze, her bloodshot, glistening gaze. Broken, wet blue eyes met sorrowful, chocolate-brown ones, eyes that concealed no tainted darkness and emanated only _love._ Pure, fiery love, love not tainted by anger or hatred for her friends. There was a darkness there, but that darkness was blended as day was to night in the beautiful world of twilight. The darkness that was there, exposed so openly, so easy to see, that darkness was her love personified; personified toward anger at their enemies. Anger at her other self, her other, _forgiven _self. Anger at evil, at hatred. At the poisonous darkness._

_Anger not directed at Julie, but at what Julie was _feeling.

_"Julie, this was _not_ your fault. This was _not _Runo's fault. This was _not _Dan's fault, or Joe's fault, or Drago's or mine or Fabia's or _anyone's_ fault." Julie sobbed and Alice pulled her close again. "The Twelve Orders. _That's _where the fault lies. Not in you, not in Runo, not even in them. In their _hatred. _In their desire for power. They want to hurt. They want to control. They want evil."_

_"Then why haven't they lost yet?" Julie wailed, wrapping her arms around Alice in a bone crushing, desperate embrace. "Good always wins! Why haven't we won? Why aren't we winning?"_

_ "Because we're still _fighting. _They look like they have the upper hand. It looked like Naga had the upper hand that time, didn't it?" Julie didn't answer-couldn't answer. Alice continued anyway. "But because we _loved, _because Dan and Runo and all of us wanted to love and protect, we _won. _Love is stronger. Love is always stronger. They _will _lose. We _will _get them back. _

**_"We will_**** win.****_"_**

* * *

><p>"You're sure?" Ace asked, eyes wide. Mira, not for the first time, made the mistake of attempting to nod vigorously in reply, but ended up grimacing and lifting a hand to her bandaged head. Ace's eyes narrowed in concern and he leaned forward, half expecting her to pass out again. She shot him a look that was something between irritation and sympathy before being replaced by a soft, sad smile.<p>

"Positive," she replied. "It was just this brief thing... I mean, it was all of her memories, just flashing across this... space. It was really, really weird... But the last one, the last one was Dan. He was... he was strapped to a chair..." Her voice took on a scared, sorrowful tone, and she took a deep breath. "He was screaming, just screaming, and you could tell he was fighting with all he had because he just kept trying to get out... Oh, it was just _awful_, and they were electrocuting him-and then his sunglasses fell off and broke..."

Ace had gone pale, his mouth wide open. Mira's eyes filled with tears when she turned her head to look at him again. "Oh Ace, they... His face-he was so pale! There were cuts all over-and he had these horrible, _horrible _burns on his arm!" She lifted her own to prove her point, pulling it out from beneath the dark brown blanket Ace had brought her. She held her left arm out in the space between the two of them, then ran her finger along the forearm three times in three parallel lines, each running completely around the circumference of her forearm.

Ace stared at this with wide eyes, jaw unhinged enough to show his shock. Mira found her eyes focused on his, those pale, steely orbs that barely reflected the light. That was just the way the eyes of Vestals worked; they were not coated in the same liquid the eyes of humans were. The liquid that had poured from those terrified, rubicund orbs that reflected blue, flashing light. Light that only promised pain from contact with its source, contact that was neither desired nor welcomed. Such contact had the potential to be lethal, to be torturous, to be traumatizing.

_Physically_ traumatizing, but also so much more.

As if the teen had felt Mira's gaze, as he so often did, he lifted his own, bringing it to rest on her own cerulean stare. More passed between the two in that moment, that moment that barely took up any time, than words could ever have hoped to convey. Fear, despair, courage, desire; memories of fun times, memories of victories, promises of hope; all of it was there. All of it passed through such a tiny distance with such astonishing speed and understanding, understanding that only two who knew each other as well as Ace and Mira did could possibly posses.

Her eyes and his own, after flashing through those many, many conflicting thoughts and emotions, finally came to rest on the exact same fleeting but ever present fearful expression, the one that they all had been concealing to the very best of their ability for the past eleven days; the one that accurately and perfectly expressed the worry that clouded their hearts, the fear that had come to descend on the souls of all those who knew Dan in the way that the Brawlers had. It was an expression that the two were able to reflect in the same way a mirror bounces the image of the observer back into its eyes, but a look that was so alike that of their comrades that it was unmistakeable.

And then there were tears falling down Mira's face and sparkling in Ace's, threatening the walls that they had both put in place to safeguard their sanity. The same emotion had pierced their separate yet unified hearts with the precision of a seasoned marksman, a blow neither had been suspecting. From their single heart poured hot, scalding sadness, snow white sorrow that blanketed their insides with its scorching chill. The emotion had pressed at their makeshift barriers several times in the past week, at first only prodding, knocking with a steady cadence that was easy to ignore and, if they put forth a little effort, to forget; but that was before it began to pound on the doors, sending echoes that resounded with dangerous vibrations from the edge of the haven to its core, forcing the walls to give little by little. Fear and sadness had started to trickle in, at first only a small, seemingly harmless stream before suddenly surging into a cascade. Now the dams against which the water pushed had broken; a crack had split the foundations of such an architectural marvel, and the only way for it to possibly be repaired again was to let the water flow free, to pour out strongly and violently until the water level fell low enough for them to begin rebuilding it from scratch.

Soon, the two were intertwined, one pulled close to the other so that her face was pressed against his chest. She drank in his husky, familiar, calming scent, asking, _begging_ him to pull her back to a time when everything was peaceful; a time when it was just them, just peace, just joy. She desperately yearned for him to bring her to a place where no fear could reach them and all that filtered through the air was sunshine and all that would touch her were him and the wind itself.

Oh how she longed for a perfect world. A world on which everyone could live in peace, in eternal bliss without the expense of another individual, an individual who could never be thanked for its sacrifice. _No,_ she recalled distantly, a memory surfacing from a time that had become a different life, _not just a perfect_ world. That fantasy had ended just as soon as she learned of a world called New Vestroia, and that a place very similar to that on which she herself lived existed, too; a place called Earth. Earth, the planet on which, she would one day discover, one of the best friends she'd ever have lived a life of leisure seen only by the luckier humans, occasionally interrupted only by the inconveniences of adolescence confined to a limitless city. That is, he was only troubled by those little things until her people would force him to come to the aid of those for which he and his partner had already risked nearly everything; to aid those nonhuman, discriminated beings, of which several had already sacrificed everything for the sake of their brethren.

No, she decided, balling her hands into fists around the gray fabric of Ace's night shirt (for he had fallen asleep by her bedside after the battles in Bakugan Interspace the night before). Merely a perfect _world_ was no longer an option. Trying to create only a perfect world would surely end only in the despair of invasion from a foreign people. Nethia, a world of which Mira had only ever heard, certainly seemed to be a perfect place. From the descriptions Fabia had given during the times they spent together trying to relax before bed, it was a beautiful place to behold not only with the eye, but also with the heart. The people there were kind, generous, always willing to extend a helping hand to one who might be in need of its silent, selfless gesture. From Fabia's tales, the scenery was breathtaking; sunsets were striking, filled with colors that were only seen on Earth in the Aurora Borealis; oceans were dazzling, giving off the unique scent of the sea coupled with its gentle, soothing mist, and the air sweeter and more soothing than honeysuckle. She had even mentioned, wistfully and with a twinkle in her eyes that only manifested when she spoke of her home, that despite the amazing technological prowess of her people, the stars in the night sky were never faded from light pollution. This was a feat even the Vestal people had yet to accomplish. Nethia _was_, in many respects, the perfect world. It already existed.

And yet, this people, this peaceful, selfless, caring people, had been the targets of a fierce and brutal invasion. This invasion was one that would devastate not only one world, had it been successful, but also all of the others known, however vaguely, to exist in the minds of all sentient beings. This invasion would, even after it failed, continue to deal blow after blow after heart crushing blow against those who resisted, for the one that was beloved by all those he had aided was taken by these heartless villains.

This invasion, one that started as an impersonal search for power, would turn into a personal vendetta; a personal quest for revenge, for violence, for pain. And this rift between hearts would cause more pain than scars ever would.

Elsewhere, the same thoughts were running through the head of a certain young princess; through the temples of an innocent, blue-haired Vestal and her big brother as they cuddled on the couch; through the head of a brooding queen-to-be. A silent ninja contemplated this every night since Dan's disappearance, sharing his thoughts with No-One. Three Castle Knights, one of the very race of those he despised, longed for the same answers to the same questions their comrades were asking. Former rivals were thinking, questioning, seeking out what could have possibly driven one they had once faithfully followed to such lengths.

And closer still to the heart of it all, three human mothers and fathers ached for their children. Each sat apart from each other; none were eating very much at all. One mother had lost her ever present smile; another had retreated deeply into her thoughts during her morning yoga. The last had taken to sitting by the window, gazing up at the sky while holding close to her heart a picture of her son and the noble white Bakugan who sacrificed everything for him.

Fathers brooded during car rides; one was even more teary-eyed than his wife. Another couldn't stand the sight of pudding. The last could hardly fathom why he had turned down the visit from his son-perhaps the last time he would have ever gotten to see him.

And at the very center, a Pyrus dragon slept, recovering spent energy that had been released in the form of a creature revealed by a Nethian and Gundalian pair to be a Mechtagon. Although Drago had not been awake to hear their explanation, the word now resided in his memory bank, bouncing around his head just as it did in the head of his other half. It was a word foreign to both of them, yet it felt right on the tips of their tongues. At the same time, though, it had a foul taste. It was bitter, the term, as if it knew it shouldn't belong to them.

But words were impartial, meaningless, and emotionless until spoken. Mere fragments of thought, of meaning, of understanding that had no value unless strung together with _words_. So words were merely a conduit, just a form of communication. Communication that Bakugan and Brawler were capable of but didn't really _need_. Who needs _words_ to convey thought when that thought filters just as cleanly, just as _clearly_, through a separate mind _without_ them?

They were both in and out of sync, hovering just on the borderline, not quite close enough to touch but, at the same time, close enough to be the same. From a point on the edge, thoughts floated through unimpeded, but not as they should. Thoughts were shared through a two-way current, exchanging memories, fears, and sensations. Both halves were immobile, frozen, unconscious, suspended in the limbo between space and time. Each could see the other, but neither could process the sight.

Perhaps that was for the best. If the dragon knew what happened to the child, surely the connection would be lost. Gone. Fragmented into oblivion.

The memories of the experience would remain to be sorted out separately, to be made sense of consciously, without danger to the other. Hope would be dangled before ones face, despair would rip through the other. Shock and relief through one for ones he rarely thought of, and terror and questions would pulse through the other for the one he loved.

And for them all, the answer sought was the same.

_Why?_

* * *

><p><em>Silence...<em>

In the lack of light, a single shadowed figure stands by **his** lonesome, save for the tiny, reddish ball on the surface a length away **him**.** He** is just as quiet as **his** surroundings; motionless for the moment. **He** is a statue, a breathing, unnatural statue, still except for the slight rise and fall of **his **chest. Such is an uncontrollable movement, as breathing is necessary to sustain life.

What little light there is filters into the area as diluted and faint as it is in the twilight zone, barely defining **his **somewhat unnatural yet distinctly humanoid features. **He** has spiked dark hair, almost as dark as** his** coat, but that might just be the light that showers him. Large green gemstones embedded within **his** huge shoulder plates glint with the ever-so-slight shifting of **his** arms, accompanied by the sound of clinking metal. Such vibrations are nearly imperceptible, but if any are listening, they have no reason to be concerned.

It is true **he** isn't welcome here. **He** knows **he** will be challenged if **he** is caught. That's fine, **he** tells himself, for **he** is their adversary, though **he **really is doing no harm. **He** knows more than the witch does, anyway. What she plans will never work; such experiments are doomed to fail. After all, the boy only holds the Switchcode for one.

How can **he** be considered harmful? After all, it was **he** that acted mercifully to an adversary, the one **he** should hate above all others. Amidst those who obtained pleasure from the pain and screams of an older child, but a child no less. **He** was the giver of sleep, the giver of dreams, which, as** he** now contemplated it, could also be considered a type of torture themselves. To dangle a bauble such as a good dream, a dream of love, of friendship, of _safety,_ before one starved of those very necessities...perhaps that was the greatest torture of them all.

How could **he** hate someone who** he **helped torture without conceivable reason? Why should **he** not grant him sleep when that was the one thing in **his** power to give? Freedom is out of reach, far out of reach, impossible to attain for the boy. The figure regrets this, though **he** knows it is not due to morality. Morality is not something** he **was created with, that much **he** knows. The spawn of hatred can never know true morality. Shadows, fragments, perhaps they will caress **his **mind, whisper the Truth to **his **truths. Perhaps, if enough time passes, **he **will be able to adopt the way of thinking, but it will never truly be **his **own. That much **he **_knows._

**He** regrets that **he** and the one to whom **he **grants sleep will never meet as equals on the battle field. Soon they will meet (for such confrontations are inevitable) but they will never be on a level playing field. One will always be too broken, to unstable, too despairing. He will not drive the same force through the stake to impale the heart of victory again; that has already been taken from him. Just as the emperor, the Master, the one **he **served, had intended.

Now the figure moves forward, **his **feet making tiny tapping noises against the smooth, dark surface of the floor. As **he** moves toward the center of the room, however, the circle of light that exists only in the center extends, illuminating the contours of **his **figure with each step closer. Slowly, ever so slowly, shadows on** his** face separate and flee, revealing **his** distinctly alien appearance. No, **he** is not human. **He** never has been, not truly, although should **he** find the desire within **his** heart, **he** can masquerade as one of them. Deceptive creatures humans are,** he** thinks as **he** stops before the frozen ball on the table. They deceive their own kind, trade one for another, harm their own young in cold blood. **He** knows the ones **he** is modeled after are not the same, for they are worse.

Himself, **he** knows, is just as bad. But** his** Fate is not **his** to control.

**He **gazes down at the Bakugan before **him**, wondering if doing this will hurt the boy more than it will help him. After a moment of contemplating, however, **he **is sure of the answer. **He **is just as sure as **he **is that the sun rises after it sets, even though time must pass in between these events for them to happen.

This may have been an assignment; the crafty witch might have thought she was getting something useful, but the figure knows better.** He** is smarter, stronger, more cunning, more perceptive, more useful; **he** is _better_ than she is. **He** knows this will fail her, but to **him** and to **his **charge, this will be something good. **He** doesn't care that** he **is breaking rules. The boy needs this.

**He** _wants_ this.

**He** extends a hand over the Bakugan, the sealed, stationary orb. The bottom of **his **hand is where the shadows now gather, eager for something that blocks out the dreaded light shining down from above, but they are forced to flee again less than a moment later. Faint but colorful rays of light shimmer in the air between the Bakugan and the hand, rays of light that tell more in data than they show in their dull luminosity. This data flies through the figure's nerves, stored in a memory bank that humans will never possess. And once** he **feels the process is complete, he turns and departs, leaving the Gate, the prey, there in plain sight for another hunt, for another quest, for another hunter, one with senses far more acute than his own.

And as** he** makes **his** way back to those that bring pain and destruction, there is a small twitch in his chest that **he** _knows_ is _not_ morality, for there can't be morality in the nonexistent soul of an artificial being.

But still, the question is there, kept carefully from **his **core but striking very close its target.

_Why?_

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah... this was mostly filler... Just a heads-up, I have midterms next week, but after Thursday I should have nothing to worry about until Tuesday (I hope; life has a tendency of screwing things up whenever I think things will be great... Oh well) because we have a 4 day weekend! Yay! During that time I will probably be writing, drawing, and listening to music (and trying not to be too happy about the fact that this school year from Hell is half over).<strong>

**Anyway, thank you all so much for sticking with this story even though I didn't update for so long. EmpressPyrus has taken on the task of getting me to update within the intended time limit (THANK YOU I LOVE YOU SO MUCH EMPRESSPYRUS!), so hopefully that means that things will be much more... regular... as far as updates are concerned from now on... I should probably set a date (like Monday, Breezy -_-) for getting these chapters up... Let's see if I can actually update consistently for 2 weeks and then I'll set a definitive date...**

**Oh, by the way, I'm 15 now... I think in the beginning I said I was 13 (and I was; I just left this on hold for so long it's ridiculous)**

**So, on that note, I'm going to go cry because I am so unworthy of the support this fic gets. Thank you all so much :)**

**Review?**


	23. Manipulation

**First of all, thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited and followed this story :) I wish I could take the time to thank all of you for it, but I'm pretty sure it would take me another half hour or so and something tells me you're going to want something to read as you guys wait out Winter Storm Charlotte (well, you know what I'll be doing :P). So, thank you everyone!**

**To DragonTempest: First of all, thank you SO much for all of your reviews (on every story, not just this one xD). I was pleasantly surprised when I realized you were going through and reading all of them :D Thank you so much! And yeah, you can go for it! I don't mind if you continue Dan and Runo's Legend/Prophecy (the stupid name didn't let me put a slash in it -_-). I think it would be really cool to see someone else's take on it! Thank you so much!**

**"The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum..."-Noam Chomsky**

He knew it was only a matter of time before they called him out; him specifically.

He knew that he couldn't avoid the jeers, the taunts, the insults forever. When they didn't immediately bring his past actions to the table and call him out on them, it had been unsettling. Honestly, though, when they finally did begin, it was a relief. Waiting for them during the two weeks he had been their prisoner had been agonizing enough.

When Dan had arrived three days after they had been stuck there, his thoughts had been put at bay for only a short while. Part of him had even gone so far as to wonder if Dan had been captured for revenge against himself, but he quickly dismissed that. The last time they had seen each other, they had been enemies despite the fact that he had been trying to flee from those people he had been fighting for. So Dan hadn't been captured to be used against fact, he still felt a slight bit of animosity against the teen.

But even still, it wasn't like the Twelve Orders to let a traitor go unpunished. He had just barely avoided it the last time, although falling off a cliff to his _expected _demise could hardly count as successfully avoiding punishment.

Sid Arkale walked through the maze-like corridors of their prison with his muscled arms restrained, yet he held his head high, as though he were pretending that he really did have dignity to hold on to. He was positioned between two of his former superiors, one who had mentored him and trained him in the Pyrus attribute, and the other who was never far from his precious _masters_ side.

Airzel disgusted him. Truly, he did. Sid had been Gill's most recent apprentice, his student. He could very easily say, though, that Airzel had been as much of a student to him as Sid had for the amount of time they were in each other's presence. In the very beginning, Airzel was present at most of Sid's lessons. As time went on, his visits tapered off as he was assigned more and more military missions, but when it was Gill on those missions, Airzel rarely allowed Sid to relax and skip a lesson. He'd step up as teacher then, and he'd always pick up where Gill had left off, or give him tips about brawling against other attributed opponents. Usually they were not helpful, but it had at the very least given Sid an idea of Airzel's unique brawling style.

Honestly, it was a miracle the man had managed to get into the Twelve Orders, although Sid had a suspicion that Gill had simply been playing favorites.

Gill was in front of him; Airzel behind him. The human-disguised Gundalian could feel his gaze on the back of his neck, boring into his skin with it's hatred and anger at his disloyalty. Technically, he hadn't been disloyal at all. He had fought for the emperor, he hadn't even leaked information to the enemy. _He_ hadn't gotten attached to the opposite side. Hell, he hadn't even been given a second chance, or a third chance, or a multitude of undeserved chances, unlike Ren.

As his thoughts turned to his comrade, formal rival, and respected opponent, one that he could not summon hatred for but to whom could not deny resentment, Gill stopped walking. This was when Sid realized that they had reached a door, the door apparently to their destination. Part of him wondered if this was where they took Dan so often before he was moved away from them and to a different part of the building, but something in his gut told him this was a different door. Gill was far too indifferent; if this were the one where Dan was often tortured, surely he would have had a different reaction.

The bastard turned around, turning his focused gaze on the prisoner. He nodded to Airzel, and Sid felt hands on his forearms, then on his wrists, and a cold metal implement pressed against his human skin. Sid didn't allow himself to grimace as the knife cut through the plastic zip tie; he wouldn't allow Gill the satisfaction. He jerked his hands out of Airzel's grip forcefully, though, and shot the man a glare before adjusting his jacket, which had been displaced from his struggles against them.

"I take it you have a Bakugan with you?" Gill asked with disinterest.

"Huh?" Sid grunted, narrowing his eyes. Suddenly he was very aware of his new Bakugan, Pyrus Cobrakus, resting in his pocket, keeping wisely still and silent in the presence of these foes.

"Don't play dumb. We know you all have one; all of you except for Kuso," Gill insisted, folding his arms across his chest. "Relax," he smirked when Sid started to take a defensive stance, "we won't take it from you. I think you'll find you'll need it in the coming hour."

"What are you talking about?" Sid questioned suspiciously, itching for the cards that were concealed within his pants pocket.

"You'll see," Airzel growled.

_Ah, you're ready?_ Kazarina's voice filtered through Sid's head smoothly, with a familiarity that felt just as warm as it did cold. The message was meant for only Airzel and Gill, Sid was sure, but either Kazarina didn't care if he was listening or she had slipped up. It was most likely that she just didn't care, because Kazarina _never _made mistakes, or so she insisted.

"_Yes_," Gill replied curtly, standing to the side. "_You'd better not mess this up, Kazarina._" It was odd, both hearing the words and feeling them ricochet within his head, but Sid ignored it. The more pressing issue manifested in Airzel's push, prompting him to approach the door that Gill had swiftly opened.

Much to Sid's surprise, he found he was unable to stop his momentum before he had stumbled through the doorway and into the blackness behind it.

For a moment, the light was allowed to linger, to cast a lengthened, distorted shadow of a tall, burly blond across what he realized was a large room, but then it was drawn back, cut off, and Sid was left in darkness.

He stumbled to a stop and turned back toward the door, his lip curling in irritation. _Figures_, he thought pessimistically. His hands curled into fists. _They like darkness, don't they?_

"What?" he called out angrily. "Trying to create another Ren? Because the 'locked in darkness' strategy sure seemed to backfire, wouldn't you say?" He wasn't sure exactly who he was talking to, or if there was anyone around to hear him at all, but he had a suspicion that they were watching him. Kazarina did like mind-tricks, after all, and darkness had many tricks up its sleeves of shadows.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, by an all too unexpected voice from the shadows. "Ren was useless. He had desires, foreign desires that don't belong to my Master." The feminine voice seemed to filter through his head in a way similar to the Gundalian's organic communication. It was both scratchy and smooth at the same time, muffled and clear, again, paradoxically, in the same instance. It was eerie, and the voice itself was familiar.

Sid grimaced as she spoke again. "He wanted freedom, a chance to be free of his _emperor_, someone he served only because he could give him _freedom._"

"Who's there?" Sid challenged, his fingers snaking into his pocket for his Pyrus Cobrakus. His eyes darted from left to right, searching, trying to peer through the impenetrable darkness. Unfortunately for him, though, his eyes did not want to adjust; despite the fact that as a Gundalian, and that he was used to far darker atmospheres than his Vestal and human companions.

"Me?" It was a scoff. She was arrogant. "_I_ am someone that has not betrayed my master, my _emperor._ _I_ made the right choice."

Those words were meant to sting, Sid knew, but he could find no remorse for his action. After all, he technically hadn't betrayed him. Now, he could deny that he wanted to.

"Heh," he grunted, feeling a wry smile creep up on his face. "You seem awfully sure that Barrodius isn't gonna turn on you. What's fueling that faith?"

"It's not _faith_." Now the girl was irritated. "_Faith_ doesn't win battles, buddy."

"Whatever," Sid grunted. "Look, are you going to come out and face me or are we going to play guessing games for the next three hours?"

"My, my, aren't we eager for a fight? Is being cooped up in that hallway getting to you? Must be all that pent up testosterone."

"Quit flapping your gums already," Sid growled. "You're really irritating."

"Why thank you." Sid half wanted to hit himself in the head with a brick. She was _annoying_.

"Enough chit-chat, _children_," a cold, sly, feminine voice intervened. This time, it was on an intercom. Sid let out a slightly disinterested grunt of surprise at Kazarina's interjection, and then a single light cut through the darkness. Rather, the harsh spotlight a distance away from Sid flared to life, revealing a petite, elaborately clad girl. She stood with her arms pressed to her sides, shoulders impossibly relaxed beneath her cape. The distance was too great for Sid to make out any defining features, but he could tell her shirt was blue, and that she was wearing a white skirt, along with a cape. He thought he could make out a cloth covering the lower part of her face. Her hair was pulled behind a short white veil, if she had hair, and her boots reached her knees.

Her eyes were golden, that much was obvious. Sid hissed.

"What are you doing, Kazarina?" Sid challenged, all of a sudden extremely irritated. He looked around, guessing that they were watching from above, so that's where he directed his gaze. "You're sending some amateur to battle me? Please, _Jesse_ is more threatening than she is."

"I beg to differ, Sid," Kazarina replied smoothly. "I think you'll find that she's far more powerful than she appears. This arena's about to get a little bright."

"You're in for a show that I believe you've already witnessed," Stoica's voice chimed in, sniggering with undisguised glee. Sid blinked.

"What are you talking about?" he grumbled, glancing around.

"Sssssid, be on your guard," Cobrakus hissed from Sid's hand. "Sssssomethingssss off about thisssss girl."

"Care to be a bit more specific?"

"Enough talking," the girl cried. "Since you're so keen to battle, why don't you show me what you're made of?" Sid rolled his eyes.

"What's with the sudden change of heart? Whatever, it's your funeral. At least this is something to _do._"

"Alright then!" Suddenly the girl was in the air, doing a backflip. Sid blinked in mild surprise, almost tempted to search for a comment, but then she came down as gravity seized hold of her. Her muscles molded from a taut, powerful ascending pose to a form intended to cushion her descent. Her legs bent, her body moved quickly, preparing to absorb the shock of impact.

There was something about her landing that seemed off, different from the many landings Sid had seen Lena execute during their joint training sessions.

It was hardly surprising when he thought about it. This girl really _was _just an amateur, just a hired-kidnapped-tool, hypnotized and manipulated into fighting for a misunderstood cause. Lena, although once very similar to this girl, had had the expertise and precision of a seasoned acrobat in each of her aerodynamic maneuvers, and each move of hers had been completely willing. This girl clearly lacked Lena's skill and mind, and when she landed she stumbled. Her ankle collapsed underneath her leg, eliciting a sharp gasp of pain from her throat.

Sid didn't so much as blink as she straightened up, struggling to mask a grimace, but he did allow himself a smirk. Served her right for trying such a move so soon after, how did they put it, "waking up". The mindset of the hypnotized really was intriguing, but like the many times in the past when he had been attempted to be taught, Sid could hardly find himself caring.

There was a more important matter at hand, or, more obviously, in the hand of his opponent.

"I'll start! Gate card, set!"

The BakuMeter on Sid's wrist suddenly lit up, displaying a scene he was no stranger to. He ignored it's feeble light, however, instead focusing on the rectangle of yellow luminance that shot out from the place equidistant from both Brawlers. It extended not far past the girl's position, but it was gone before he could actually make out any other features that could be of use to him.

"Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Rise, Haos Splight!"

The white Bakugan emerged with a roar, a roar that had absolutely no sentience left within it. Blunt arms tore through the air, missing the claws that resided within them. Large, golden tipped feet slammed into the ground with a resounding bang, and as Sid took in his off-white, demonic aura, the low rumble of a growl filled the air.

"A Splight, huh?" he murmured. "This is interesting..."

"I'm waiting," the brawler said impatiently, and her voice echoed and repeated itself a few times before fading, sounding almost like it was both spoken normally and hissed at the same time. Sid grimaced.

"Fine then," he growled. "Cobrakus!" His hand closed around the serpent Bakugan who had taken to floating by his side. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan stand! Pyrus Cobrakus!"

The snake slithered out of the fiery cylinder conjured by its deployment, illuminating the darkness with a bright orange glow. Bright orange markings shaped like ancient runes stood out on its back against deep red scales, each of which reflected the fire in similar ways to Rubanoid's. Cobrakus's underbelly was yellow, a bright, lively color, with ridges traveling horizontally below the steel collar fitted around its body and vertically above it. The metallic ring featured a blaster of some sort, perhaps a canon, along with four prongs that branched out to the side, making for an intimidating appearance. The snake had four fangs, two on the top of its mouth and two on the bottom. The two on the top stuck out, though, unlike the cobra after which said Bakugan was named. Its hood was bright red, featuring a bright white diamond at the top, where the pattern of flames that adorned the hood reached a vertex.

Cobrakus slithered dangerously along the ground, sizing up his opponent. His emerald eyes flashed, gleaming as the lights from the flames died out. His tail, which sported two metal spokes, flicked threateningly.

Sid smirked. "Time to get this party started."

* * *

><p>To say the thrill of battle was intoxicating would not have done the feeling justice.<p>

No-it was not merely intoxicating. That would be describing a drug, some chemical, something that was only temporary. Sure, battle was temporary, but it didn't leave the Brawler in withdrawal. Comparing the rush, the thrill, the sheer, raw _power_ she felt when battling to something alcohol, marijuana, and other chemical substances could induce for mere hours at a time-that was a crime. It simply did not do it justice.

No. The rush of battle, that amazing, invigorating, wonderful feeling that came with battle... How could she describe it? How could she describe the feeling of her mind in alignment with that of another being? How could she describe the pulse pounding excitement, the rush of adrenaline that left her breathless but felt like heaven? Sure, it was a tiring ordeal, trying to channel your will through another being, but it left her mind comfortably relaxed. Pleasantly tired. Battle was like physical activity even though she herself did none-it left her with the same exhaustion she would have felt if she were in a physical fight.

Battle. It was a rush of adrenaline, yet not simply a flood of hormones. Again, just a bodily response, a release of chemicals to stimulate the fight-or-flight response in her brain; it just didn't do battle justice. It wasn't even close.

Nothing came close to describing it.

Battle was a thing of itself, indescribable. It was only understood by those who had experienced it, experienced its excitement, its aggression, its energy, its _power._

That was the truth.

But something, deep in her subconscious, told her, _whispered_ to her, that battle was more than even _that_.

Flames and light flashed before her, kindling huge bursts of brief heat across her cheeks. They would be warmed comfortably, almost to the point of being unpleasant but never lasting long enough to get there, and then the tongues of flame would be gone, and her cheeks would be startlingly cold. The muscles there would tighten up, shrinking away from the unwelcome chill, wondering where that thermal energy fled to. It was almost like turning away from a fireplace in winter, when she was snowed in at a rented cottage for the season. She could almost smell the scent of hot cocoa-real, rich, thick hot cocoa, not just the powdery crap that was sold on store shelves. She could almost hear the voice of her mother, a forgotten sound, one that had been suppressed by some cruel puppetmaster by the name of Kaza-

The thought faded, twisted away from her mind as she tried to decipher it. She grabbed for it, grappled with the threads of thought in her mind. It was a _memory_. She was beginning to remember! She had had a mother, they had had a life, and they had gone to escape it for however short a time in the blustery mountains-

But it couldn't be a memory-she had never seen snow. She had never left Displatis; Kazarina told her that. She had never seen the sunlight, much less snow. Logic took over her thinking. It was another one of those phantom images, ones that flitted away too soon and not quickly enough.

The phantom images that conjure treason, they haunted her.

Kazarina wasn't a cruel puppetmaster. Kazarina was cruel, yes, but cruel in a needed way. Kazarina needed to be cruel, so in that sense, she wasn't cruel at all.

She kept her in line with "cruelty." It was just discipline. Discipline that was needed, sometimes-oftentimes-deserved.

Bursts of hot and cold wind shot past her face, lifting the veils over her face and hair, but neither lifted far enough to reveal anything important. The darkness that surrounded her, that allowed her to mold into the complement of her element and become invisible, that's what protected her. That's what allowed her to fight this fiery serpent with cards and a creature that did her bidding based on mere thoughts.

The feeling was familiar, comforting, exhilarating. The adrenaline, the endorphins, all of it made for an amazing experience. She felt like she was home, safe, secure, and perfectly in alignment with her opponent and her weapon, her Bakugan, her _friend. _Her friend, who was crying out as power flooded his senses. Her friend, who was fighting hard, breathing hard, experiencing the same rush she was-

He was crying out. He was crying out in _pain._

_She was pushing her FRIEND to his limits._

What was she doing? Splight was a _friend._ Splight had _feelings_. She was _hurting_ him.

The realization cut through her like a knife. A sudden, shooting pain seared across her temples, shocked her as though she had been tossed into a tank of liquid nitrogen. She jerked, suddenly, nauseous, and dropped to her knees. Her hands pressed as hard as they could-_and still not hard enough_-against the sides of her head, trying to block out this pain, these treasonous throughts, and voice filled her head. "_Its not real!_"

The voice was sharp, insistent. Commanding. Powerful.

"_Splight _has_ no feelings! Splight is a tool, a weapon at your displosal. IT HAS NO FEELINGS._"

And then all the doubts vanished, and she was left on the ground, panting, gasping, and wondering where such a stupid idea had come from.

Bakugan weren't _sentient._ The very idea was preposterous! Bakugan were just tools, weapons as her disposal. That's why their minds interacted the way they did-the Brawler was the master, the one in charge. The one that called the shots. The Bakugan was just there to do her bidding, to follow her commands. To suggest anything else was delusional.

Nothing else made sense.

She lifted her gaze as she felt his. Her opponent was watching her with a look of something like hope-horrible, deceptive _hope._ He had a half-grin, a daring look, on his face, one of anticipation and excitement. He was moving in slow motion, a card in his hand glowing as he shouted out, "Ability, activate!" with impossible slowness.

That was when she realized Splight was on the ground, clutching his head the same way she had been, and she screamed at him the horrible, merciless command, "_Get up!_"

He had no feelings. He was just a tool. He was _not _tired. He _existed_ to do what she commanded.

Losing wasn't an option, it wasn't! She had to prove herself-she _had_ to. She _had_ to prove she was as good as Mistress Sellon, as good as Master Anubias, good enough to fight and _make a difference._

Good enough to fight their high security prisoner.

She moved just as quickly as Splight did, rising to her feet was impossible swiftness. That speed could only be reached by the embodiment of light itself. A card flashed above her Baku-Collar, shining to life as she cried out the defensive maneuver. Splight moved to execute it with a grace that rivaled that of Sellon, and the opponents brief look of hope turned to one of terror, of horror, of disbelief, of _despair_ as his mouth moved.

And to Rin, that feeling of domination-it was _amazing_.

* * *

><p>To say Sid got beaten would have been the merciful, least humiliating way to put the defeat.<p>

To say that he had gotten his ass whooped, thrown into the week past and beaten up for three weeks straight would have been a far more accurate way of describing it.

That loss had been completely and utterly _humiliating._ Pathetic. Absolutely demoralizing.

And the girl had, predictably, seized the first opportunity to rub it in his face. As he looked up at her from the ground, it was plain to see that she would continue to press his face into the mud of embarrassment at every chance she received.

But there had been this one instance where he thought he _might_ win; a brief moment when her attention slipped, a blank look came over her face, and her eyes flashed green. They had exchanged almost no words once the fight started, instead allowing the dance of battle to lead the both of them. Sid spent almost all of his time defending, struggling futilely to preserve his ego and keep pain from Cobrakus, while she hurled attack after attack at his defenses. She only paused to ask him one question, one that was strange and unexpected.

"Why do you fight?"

But other than that, she just hit, slashed, clawed at Cobrakus, leaving no openings, until that one moment when she stumbled.

He _saw_ it, that brief glint of humanity behind her mask. He _saw_ that look of surprise, of terror, of confusion, all before she dropped like a rock. All of a sudden the tide of battle changed. He could _win_, this was his chance! She was down-Splight had fallen just like she had.

Both were breaking free, they were resisting.

"Gate card, open!"

Something whispered to him that it was strange, how actively they were fighting Kazarina even as they fought himself, for rarely was there a battler with that tenacity. He was sure that there was one Gundalian legend that had once had that power, the ability to resist the influence of a Hypnosis Master, but, like most of his peers, he had never paid attention in history class. So the thought fizzled out before he had time to decipher it, replaced by the tugging at his mind that was Cobrakus urging him to activate an ability.

If this hit, they would be free!

But then she looked up, her eyes gleaming gold in the light of flames that were conjured from his Gate Card. His hope was snuffed out like those flames as horror flashed across both their faces. He knew that look, he had seen it himself although not in person, and he _knew her name_.

"_Runo_?"

But she couldn't hear him; maybe she didn't want to, maybe they were too far away. Because after that, all he could remember was darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Hm... I didn't expect to write this chapter in this particular format... I've been reading way too many fanfictions that take place entirely in a character's mind. Although I actually think that's helping me at the moment...<strong>

**Sorry about the lack of updates; I'm still recovering from these past few months. I am writing though, I AM still thinking of you guys. Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited this and followed, and of course, all you lovely reviewers.**

**Things just get darker and darker here, don't they?**

**Review!**


	24. Reprieve

**"On the ground I lay, motionless in pain, I can see my life flashing before my eyes, Did I fall asleep? Is this all a dream? Wake me up; I'm living a nightmare," Three Days Grace, Time of Dying**

* * *

><p>Just because Dan could no longer tell day from night did not mean that he appreciated being woken up-especially when the dream he had been having was the only good one he had had in a week.<p>

Of course, in the past two weeks, he hadn't exactly had the best luck.

A warm, smooth hand was what jerked him from such pleasantries, startled him into a half-awareness that he was all too familiar with. His eyes shot open in fear and terror, terror that was familiar and awful, pulsed through his abdomen. A dry, raspy gasp was wrenched from his lips and instinctively, without understanding any of his surroundings, he jerked in struggle.

Pain, such violent, excruciating, _pain_ shot through his body. Agony fired through his arm, bruises and slices in the skin lining the backside of his ribs seared, and the infected cuts on his wrists pulsed a deep, sharp sting. An unpleasant sound was drawn forth from his mouth, and then the hand was covering it.

Dan took deep, panicked breaths through his nose, as his eyes flicked through the dim light of his room to the face of his assailant. Spiky hair-pale gray, he could see, from the way the light of the open door fell on it-pale, _human,_ skin, but a mostly shadowed face. He could just make out the intruder's mouth, set in a firm line, and a hand that was positioned in front of it. A finger was straight there.

He was telling him to be quiet.

"I won't hurt you."

The voice. It was familiar.

It was _human._

Dan slowly relaxed, allowing his muscles to loosen and fall limply on the blankets beneath him. The constant pain intensified for a moment from the contact, then ebbed back down to its less-than-tolerable normal level. The hand on his mouth remained there for a moment while the assailant deemed Dan not to be a threat, then it was pulled away, and Dan slowly propped himself up.

"Can you stand?"

Again, Dan was stuck by the familiarity of the voice, but try as he might, he could not place it. His mind was still too fuzzy, stuck half on the fading dream of a girl with striking green eyes and half on the situation at hand. Numbly, he nodded, and with a grimace slid his legs off the side of the bed.

He rolled his lips over his teeth as he pushed himself upright, and discovered, much to his embarrassment, that he could not stand on his own. A leather-clad arm quickly snaked itself around his torso, supporting his weight as his legs threatened to give out beneath him. Briefly, Dan wondered where his previous strength had gone. Why could he no longer stand up on his own when, less than two weeks before, he had been able to run almost five miles with no problem?

The person paused while supporting Dan for a moment, his hand snaking into a pocket. Dan allowed himself to lean against this character, realizing that his whole body was wrapped in leather. Before he had a chance to ponder this new development, something was being pressed against his lips. A warm, spherical something.

Dan locked his lips together, let out a small grunt of resistance. He arched his back despite the pain, struggling feebly. His aggressor hissed.

"It's not gonna hurt you, for goodness sakes." The teen was irritated. "Stop struggling!" he commanded. Dan slowed, shooting a glare at him. Golden eyes rolled. "It's to keep up your strength," he hissed in a gentler voice. It wasn't kind, but it wasn't as rough at it had been.

Dan stopped moving, cautious eyes locked on annoyed ones. It was a battle of wills, the only type of battle Dan had a hope of winning in his current state. After a moment, however, Dan opened his mouth, and gloved fingers pushed the tablet gently past his lips.

"Don't chew it."

Dan did as he was told and swallowed the thing whole, wincing at the bitter taste, then was handed a glass of water. Where this stranger had gotten that was a mystery Dan didn't bother to ponder. He accepted it, swallowing mouthful after greedy mouthful of thirst-quenching sustenance.

When he was finished the glass was taken from him, and, miraculously, he could feel himself growing stronger. The teen supporting his weight noticed his ability to stand and stepped away, allowing Dan to straighten. A ghost of a smile graced the boy's features, and then he realized his companion was making his way to the door.

"Come with me. Hurry."

"Who are you?" The figure paused in the threshold, allowing Dan to see that, indeed, the figure was human. His hair was light gray, almost white, standing straight up in a multitude of gravity-defying spikes. His coat was black leather and several belts criss-crossed around his chest and around other parts of his body. The fabric over his shoulders was rounded and his coat reached his knees, plus his eyes were golden.

They were spheres, but they were golden.

"My name is of no consequence. Are you coming or not?"

"Depends on where we're going."

"The more questions you ask, the more likely we are to get caught, you know."

The look the teen was giving him, one crossed with annoyance and a slight nervousness, was what in the end persuaded him to move. Dan gave him a serious look, one that morphed into one of hope.

Was this escape?

He took a step forward, toward his helper, and expected himself to stumble. When he realized his footing was sure and strong, he took another step, and another, until he, too, was standing in the doorway. A quick fear of punishment for this action, for stepping outside his prison cell without a guard, crossed his mind and chilled his core, but the urgent gesture from his guide prompted him to force it from his mind.

Where had he gotten the strength to do that? Why was there no shadow at the edge of his mind, pulling the fear back, wrestling it back so that it was pinned to his being? Why was it not pinned to his chest where it would suffocate him, force all air from his lungs in the desperate, panicked act that was hyperventilation-

His breath caught in his throat and he leaned forward, his hands flying to his throat to massage away what invisible and intangible obstruction there was to free the airway. Regaining his breath was simple after that.

The guide either had no sympathy or no knowledge of Dan's struggles. He moved with startling swiftness, beckoning Dan to follow. It was an action he was forced into, but he had not the time to consider it as such.

He was led through winding hallways, for the first time unbound. It was odd, moving quickly, freely through these oppressing hallways. He would soon feel fresh air. _Fresh air_, not the stale, filtered air that plagued his prison, that was pumped through who knew how many pipes and was devoid of all outside scents. The air outside-was it cool? Would it be warm? What did it smell like?

All thoughts were driven from his mind, however, when the hallways grew darker, gloomier, and he had to put conscious effort into keeping sight of his guide. The guide who was moving nearly silently, and whose only defining feature was his oddly spiky white-gray hair. The jacket, which one would expect to make a sort of flapping sound as it was pulled through the air, was quiet. His footsteps were carefully measured, unlike Dan's unmonitored barefoot slaps against the freezing metal floors.

When Dan realized this, he quickly adjusted his gait so that he walked more carefully, using all of his leg muscles. His heels touched down first, carefully, quietly, and he bent his knees as he did so, allowing the soles of his feet to gently, softly collide with the ground. His toes connected last, allowing him to push off the ground and start the process again so he could move more quietly.

A small part of his brain allowed himself a bit of satisfaction at remembering what Shun shared with him, a trick to moving quietly, but he knew he mustn't allow himself even those little morsels of pride. Pride was dangerous here. Deceptive. Lethal, for if he allowed it to grow in his mind, to fester and take over his rational judgement, he might just cost himself something he could neither retrieve nor replace.

Twists, turns, but no stairs. Dan sensed that they must be getting close to the exit. It had to be close; how large could this building be? Certainly it wasn't an endless string of hallways, jammed together to form one giant labyrinth.

The Greek legend of Daedalus and Icarus sprang to mind, threads of a forgotten education that had been crammed in between fighting wars. That was the story where Daedalus built a labyrinth to imprison the minotaur, who, as Dan gave it thought, would be him. Then the king's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with the prince of-what was it, Athens?-named Theseus, but she told him that she would help him kill the minotaur if he would marry her, so that's what he did. He ventured into the labyrinth, but only after Ariadne gave him a magic ball of thread. As he ventured through the labyrinth, he unrolled it and would use it to find his way back to the exit. So he succeeded in killing the minotaur and left with the king's daughter by ship.

Angered by this, the King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus, Daedalus's son. In a desperate escape attempt, Daedalus created wings made of feathers of the birds that flew over their prison and candle wax. He warned his son not to fly to close to the sun, as the wings would melt and thus deposit him in the ocean, and they took to the skies. But because Icarus got lost in the moment and magic of flight, he soared up as high as he could, and the sun melted the wax. He fell from the sky, plunging into the watery depths of the ocean. Daedalus searched for him but could not find him, and was forced to abandon Icarus in order to make it to land himself.

Dan trailed his hand along the wall, his eyes fixed on the back of his guide's light head. If he was the minotaur...why was this person-who he now came to think of as Theseus-be helping him to escape? Shouldn't he still be confined to his room, waiting for someone to come and kill him in order to bring about a greater good? Shouldn't this darkness oppress him, strangle him, torment him, until all he knows is suffocating blackness that burns his chest and makes him breath in ragged gasps? Shouldn't the light-which was slowly growing in intensity-not fall on his face? Shouldn't it neglect to burn his eyes, to taunt him with freedom that he knew was undeserved, as his steely resolve to hold up to the pressure of holding the lives of thousands, millions, _billions _crumbled ever so slowly into a growing pile of broken glass shards?

Glass shards like the one that hid beneath his bandages, piercing, biting into his flesh as a bitter reminder to his pathetic, cowardly last resort?

The guide said nothing, but Dan soon discovered that he had stopped. Dan himself stopped his momentum just seconds before he collided with his back. If he noticed, the masculine figure before him gave no indication. Through the gloom, Dan watched apprehensively as gloved fingertips were illuminated by nine small squares as they were pressed, releasing the lock on the door.

To think that freedom was just outside the door, literally centimeters from his face...

He didn't realize he was shaking with the mere thought of freedom until his teeth began to chatter. Outside that door was fresh air, endless sky. Outside that door was a world he had seen only briefly, but was just as habitable as the worlds he had visited before. Outside that door was a chance to return to friends he hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity. Outside that door was happiness.

Dan's breathing hitched and he forced his eyes shut, hardly daring to believe this reality. Was it really true? Was there really a world beyond the door? Or was it just another one of his daydreams, one of the countless fantasies he conjured that were always less real than his nightmares?

The caress of cool air on his cheeks prompted him forward, but he dared not open his eyes. No light struck him; no redness as the sun shined through his eyelids. What if what laid before him was really nothing but another illusion? What if he unveiled his vision to find that after daring to hope, to dream, to wish and to imagine, all that was there were the dark, shadowed walls of his prison?

What if his shadow stared back at him again, smirking with all the cruel mirth the universe had to offer?

Dan kept his feet planted firmly on the ground beneath him, his bare toes scrunched on the freezing metal ground. He felt the metal sucking what little heat remained from his flesh. He gritted his teeth against the aching cold that blocked all other sensation in his toes. He willed himself to focus only on that pain, blocking out the agony that seared his flesh everywhere else. That was a cold, aching pain. It was a localized pain. It was something he had felt before, something that would one day pass. That was something that would improve. That would get better.

"You coming?"

The voice startled Dan, whose eyes shot open in response. Darkness greeted him, but it was a different darkness. This darkness was something that stretched forward, a darkness studded with stars and airbrushed colored swirls. This darkness had substance, had physical features that existed outside the darkness. This darkness was intangible, something that touched him but was impossible to feel. His lips parted in incredulity; his eyes widened in stupefaction.

The night was before him. Fresh air-that was what he was breathing. A whole world existed before him, a world that was free and real and physical and _safe_. Out here...out here was paradise, he knew that instantly.

A seemingly endless expanse of plains stretched out before him, fading into the starry-strewn dome of the sky in such a way that he found it hard to tell the difference between land and celestial firmament. No clouds obscured any portion of the dome above him. When he cast his gaze up into the swirling pattern of spray painted stars, he took in the single moon floating to his right. It's rings were glowing red, a sharp contrast to its blue, and briefly Dan wondered how that was possible, but the night-scents drew him away from that thought.

He could smell the dew, the grass that tickled the bottom of his feet as he stepped forward. There was a slight musty scent, as if the dirt here were often wet, but the moving air brought crispier scents. He couldn't identify them all-for a human's nose could never be that strong-but he thought he could detect a faint trace of mint. He opened his mouth to drink in the scents, mere wisps of tastes, and the chilly sensation of menthol was obvious.

Dan's eyes scanned the horizon, searching for nearby civilization, but in the dark he saw nothing. None of the city lights he knew on Earth illuminated an inverted cone of harsh blue rays into this sky, but the soft, dim tones of Nethia were absent as well. The closest world he believed this one came to was New Vestroia, as what few Vestal settlements existing upon it gave off little to no light after midnight.

A soothing crescendo of insect's buzzing, their chirps pulsing through the eve, made Dan's eardrums vibrate. After the only sounds he knew were those of faint white noise and silence, this was an almost deafening staccato of noise. It didn't hurt like the sounds of attacks from a Bakugan battle, rather it was a pleasant sensation in his ears. He closed his eyes, drawing it in and trying to absorb the sounds, the scents, the sensations of the wind on his skin and the grass beneath his feet. He sucked air in through his nose as deeply as he could, loving its cool caress upon his lungs.

His head was clearer than it had been since he arrived on this planet, and all of his fear melted away. The breeze had stripped his discomforts from him; the cool air soothed his burns and wounds. The grass beneath him prickled at his skin; pebbles and dirt beneath that jutted into his heels but weren't uncomfortable. A night bird called out, and Dan's eyes opened.

This was what he was protecting. This was why he was allowing himself to do what he was. This beauty, this life, the world around him and the worlds far from him. It was his duty to protect them all; he was a Battle Brawler. He had the power to protect it. He was damn well going to use it.

The figure beside him, whom Dan had almost forgotten was still there, shifted. Dan instantly knew what and who the teen was. How he didn't see it before confused him, but he no longer cared why he didn't see. What mattered was the knowledge and what he would do with the knowledge. After all, he stood between the figure and what he wanted.

The smile that had overtaken his face, stretching it in a way that was strange but pleasant after his constant frowning, morphed into a smirk. He closed his eyes, shutting out the beauty that he knew was his charge, and turned. He faced his guide and felt his suspicious gaze burn into his skin.

"Tell me," Dan asked, "why you brought me out here." The question seemed to startle the teen, Dan could tell from the slight sound his jacket made when he shifted, but Dan didn't open his eyes. "I know as well as you do that if I try to leave, you'll just pull me back."

"What are you going on about?" the figure scoffed. "I just brought you out here, didn't I?"

"You may have brought me outside, but I know you're hiding something. Not just your appearance; I've seen that trick many times before-" Dan's eyes opened to reveal a silent threat. "-Anubias."

There was no mistaking the surprise that momentarily disfigured Anubias' face, but then he smirked. "I suppose the game is up," he chuckled. A bright glow started up from his body. Dan faced it with a squint. When it died, there stood Anubias in all his leather-clad glory, his horns framing his face and head in a way that was clearly meant to be intimidating. Now that Dan saw it in a new light, he realized that his markings and facial features were different from the other Gundalians he had seen. Anubias' were much more ornamental, meant to show off, while the others had been only slightly showy. He coupled this development with Sellon's strange, dark fashion sense, of course strange for a light-loving Nethian, and came to a conclusion Shun would be proud of.

"You're not a real Gundalian."

"You never cease to amaze me, Kuso," Anubias said, crossing his arms and glaring down at Dan. Dan returned the favor, but Anubias' eyes weren't exactly full of malice. "The impression I got from your friends was that you don't think that much before doing something you might regret."

"I guess it is a bit more up Shun's alley," Dan conceded, keeping his emotions carefully guarded. "But I can say both Shun's and my attitudes are the same as our brawling styles."

"I can say that's true for Shun, but you're the one whose skills I have yet to test." That piqued Dan's interest and, being unexperienced as he was, he allowed his mask to fall for a brief moment. His surprise shone through, and he knew Anubias saw it instantly.

"What do you mean?" His question was delivered tensely, tactlessly. He knew it as soon as his voice floated past his lips. Anubias was trying to hold back a smirk; Dan could see it.

"What do you think it means?"

"What I think doesn't matter as much as what it really means."

"Well let's see if you can figure it out for yourself." A small, red ball flew toward Dan. Instinctively, his hand darted up to snatch it out of the air, his fingers melting fluidly into the grip he maintained on his Bakugan partner. He opened his hand in surprise, examining the Bakugan with a critical gaze. His eyes widened.

"Drago?" he cried. "Drago, what-how-"

"It's not really Drago," came Anubias' voice, and Dan's gaze immediately flicked to him.

"How-"

The look Anubias gave cut him off. Dan fell silent, staring at the Gundalian with narrowed eyes but allowing Aubias to explain. "What you hold in your hand is a copy, an imperfect version of the Pyrus Dragonoid based on data I collected a few nights ago."

"A few nights ago? What did you do?" His tone was accusing, angry even. He expressed offensive emotions to disguise the fear that gripped his heart with cold claws. Dan knew Anubias realized this, but the Gundalian gave nothing to suggest it.

"Relax," he said slyly. "I didn't hurt him. I just collected a bit of data and gave that back to Kazarina." Dan growled, his eyes flashing. "Your precious Drago is perfectly fine."

"He'd better be," he hissed. "Or you're going to wish you never put this Bakugan in my hand."

"Aren't you wondering why I gave you that Bakugan in the first place?" Dan glanced at his fisted hand, then back at Anubias. He was staring at him seriously, but then he flashed him a smirk. "Don't tell me that you've lost your appetite for a battle to that dark room."

"Tch...yeah right," Dan glared back. "But if you want me to put up a decent fight I need some cards." Anubias tossed him a BakuMeter.

"The cards are in there," Anubias said shortly. Dan frowned, but strapped it to his wrist, grimacing as it rubbed against his healing wound. A screen appeared, floating above the wristband portion of the device. Dan raised his eyebrows.

"Greetings, Dan." He glanced at Anubias.

"Marucho's latest creation?"

"You know your friends well."

"Damn right I do. And I know they'll find me," Dan stated obstinately, his determined gaze boring into Anubias' disinterested one. He smirked. "Just like I know I'll beat you."

"You're welcome to try. Just don't come crying to me when you lose, Kuso." A wild glint had appeared in his slitted irises. "I've heard a lot about you. Let's see if your brawling matches your reputation."

"Man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that," Dan chuckled. The teens turned at the same moment and put almost a football field's amount of distance between them. The breeze ruffled Dan's flimsy red nightshirt, stained in sweat and dried blood, and his white pants whipped at his bruised shins. He could barely make out Anubias standing on his own however many meters away, but he knew he was there.

Dan glanced down at the Bakugan in his hand, allowing his troubled mindset to seep through to his face. It looked exactly like Drago, but the feeling of warmth he felt when he held Drago was absent as he cradled this game piece. He wasn't even sure if this Bakugan, whom Anubias had stated was "an imperfect copy", was sentient. One thing was for certain, though. This Drago didn't posses the power of The Perfect Core, nor did it hold all six Attribute Energies within it. It did not harbor Neo's powers, given up by Neo's heart wrenching self-sacrifice. Code Eve had not granted this Drago her abilities.

But this Drago could fly. If Dan wanted, he could hop on this Bakugan and fly away, leaving his captors and his suffering. He could find a way off this planet and get back to his friends, where he would be safe. But leaving here would mean leaving the Vexos, and without him around, who knew what Barodius and the others would do. Leaving the Vexos also meant leaving whatever Barodius had stolen from him, meaning Joe would certainly be killed.

What if Runo were the other thing they'd stolen?

Dan's fist tightened around the Bakugan. No, he couldn't give in to his fear. He couldn't leave his friends, his allies. He couldn't leave them to suffer for his cowardice. He would regret it for the rest of his life if he did, and surely such a decision would damn him to Hell.

He clenched his teeth, then called out into the darkness.

"You ready?"

The reply came a moment later.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Let's do this then." Dan allowed himself to think of a card, and it appeared just as Anubias said, floating above the Baku-Meter. Dan snatched it out of the air, spun, and sent it flying.

"Gate card, set!"

* * *

><p><strong>Eheh... I will get the next chapter out soon. I'm not leaving you on a cliffie x_x That would just be torture...<strong>

**Sorry about the wait! THANK YOU EMPRESSPYRUS!**

**...As I was typing this I realized I didn't have wi-fi. Damn it. Well, at least this gives me time to start on the next chapter! :P**

**Review!**


	25. Dawn

"**I see nothing in your eyes, And the more I see the less I like, Is it obvious, In my head? I know nothing of your kind, And I won't reveal your evil mind, Is it obvious, I can't win?" -Breath, Breaking Benjamin**

* * *

><p>Rin was kneeling in front of the toilet, panting. Her throat was searing, her stomach churning. Her breaths came in ragged, choked gasps, each placed carefully between deep, hacking coughs. She spit in the toilet again, trying to get the foul taste out of her mouth. Her fingers grasped the edge of the toilet bowl, but she wasn't worried about the potential germs. She closed her eyes and rested her chin on her knuckles.<p>

Her skin was coated in a thin film of salt water, a sticky second skin that chilled her with every good-natured caress of the slight breeze. Her cheeks and torso burned savagely, as did the rest of her skin, and while the salt water should have been a welcome comfort, it was cool to the point of being unpleasant. She shivered.

She rested her head on her forearms, keeping them pressed against the cool front of the toilet, in an attempt to ignore the pounding in her skull. She kept her eyes closed, relying on the darkness to keep the pain from intensifying.

Such hopes were fruitless, but hopes weren't her focus.

Her concentration was fixed on the beckoning that seemed to pull on her very soul. She felt its insistent jerk within her, just below her sternum. It was as though a fish hook were lodged in the protective cartilage above her heart, only without the painful sting. She dug her fingernails into the soft flesh of her palms. Ignore it, ignore it.

Then, a violent, opposing urge pulsed through her, driving into her skull like an ice pick. "_No_," it hissed. "_Don't go chasing after unimportant, irrelevant _feelings."

But this calling...it was so intense...How could she possibly resist? Asking her to defy it was like asking her to fight the grip of a riptide, one that had the strength to drag her down into the depths of the ocean. No matter what she wanted, the ocean's determination would overpower her. The water would whisk her away and suck her head beneath the surface. Her fingers would try to dig into the cold, wet sand, but they would only stir it up in clouds instead of providing traction. Then the sand would be gone, leaving her to sail through a pure water-world alone. And as soon as she was pulled from the ocean floor, she would be on her way with no possible means of resisting, much like the situation she would surely find herself in should she give in.

The voice persisted. "_Feelings are deceptive. Logic is all you can trust."_

Logic…. Yes, logic. Logic was easier to deal with. Logic made sense where feelings confused. It could be trusted much more than a random sensation in your chest. Logic told her what was and wasn't realistic; what was and wasn't safe. If the logic was sound, then everything else added up. Everything was clear cut and obvious. Everything was in order. That was the job of logic.

But somehow, she _knew_ logic had nothing to do with it. She knew it like she knew herself. It wasn't involved.

"_Don't be ridiculous_," came the voice, the voice that was not her own. "_Logic is all you have, Rin. Logic is all that exists."_

"Logic..." she breathed, wrapping her arms around her belly (as if applying pressure would immobilize the flip-flopping of her stomach). "Logic is all I have…all that exists…."

"_Yes, Rin…" _Rin swallowed hard. "_You understand. Logic is all you can trust. Logic. Logic."_

"Logic... Logic..."

But... if logic was all that existed...all that she could trust, why was this feeling so intense? Why did it beckon her so? Why did she feel she _couldn't_ resist?

What could happen if she decided to follow it just this once?

"_Don't be foolish, Rin_." She could sense voice was becoming angry. "_Are you going to follow whatever whim floats into your mind? Are you going to chase after foolish, impalpable ideas?"_

"But..." Rin breathed. "But...this has to _be_ something..." It was too intense to be nothing.

How could she just _ignore _this? What was it?

"_Stop thinking about it, you stupid girl!"_ The voice shot through her head with surprising insistence. Rin grimaced, an awful, shooting pain coursing through her temples. It felt like the fishhook had raked across her brain and torn through the tissue. A hand flew to her forehead while the other tightened around her stomach. She groaned. It _hurt_. "_Get it out of your head! You have no choice!"_ Rin sucked in air like it was her job. "_Don't delude yourself any longer_," ordered the voice. "_Feelings have _no meaning!"

Suddenly, Rin was angry, furious. How _dare_ this voice, this voice in _her_ head, try to tell her what to do? It was _her _decision, and she sure as hell was going to make sure it stayed that way.

"You...are not...the boss of me!" she shrieked, punching the wall beside her as hard as she could. Pain shot through her fist. "This isn't physics! This isn't calculus! Get out of my HEAD!" Immediately, her headache vanished. The nausea subsided and the bipolar hot-and-cold sensations faded.

The voice was silent.

Rin sat up, rubbing her hand. That was going to bruise. Apparently, there were times when stubbornness came in handy, she thought with a wry grin. She paused for a moment, wondering where the thought came from and why it reminded her of a white tiger, but she pushed the thought from her mind. Thoughts like those were a nuisance, and the train of thought she devoted to unraveling them just led in confusing circles, so she let it be.

She was on her feet barely three seconds later, reaching for her cape and adjusting the headband on her head. Quickly and easily she secured the length of fabric to her shoulders, pulled her mask in front of her nose and mouth, and was out the door.

Once in the hallway, what to do was as simple as following the path of a daydream. An internal compass seemed to exist within her, pointing out which turns to make and what doors to pass through. She hardly needed to pay attention to what she was doing; it was so natural for her to simply follow this direction. It led her onward, through long, dark corridors and random lighted hallways.

More than once, she felt it direct her toward one door, then a sense of urgency would come over her. She would know that she couldn't stay there, and she would follow the feeling's directions to a different hallway. What was waiting for her on the other side of that door or around the bend she bypassed she had no idea, nor could she explain her aversion to it. Once or twice, she swore she caught a glimpse of a pinprick of rainbow light disappearing around the corner she was urged to turn, but as soon as it faded from view, she forgot it was there.

She came to a staircase and ascended quickly, finding a metal ladder at the top. She didn't question it. Immediately, she began to climb, loving the strain on her muscles by the time she reached the top.

The awareness that a trapdoor was above her pierced her like a spear. Without hesitating, she looped one arm around the top rung, hoping to keep herself from falling, then ran her fingers over the metal door above her head. After a few seconds of searching, her fingertips found a metallic sensor. A blue light flashed from it, nearly startling Rin in the darkness, and then a few beeps rang out.

Part of her wondered why there was a way out that wasn't secured by a pin code, and for once, the thought wasn't whisked away. It was strange, having a thought she could actually dwell upon, and for a moment considered dwelling upon the fact that she could dwell upon something rather than the actual thing upon which she had originally begun to dwell. _This is thinking_, she realized. The resistance she put up earlier-was that thinking? Or was it herself manifesting her desires through words within her head? Had she been speaking that whole time, or entertaining a private conversation within the depths of her mind?

Did everyone do this? Did everyone have the same confusing train of awareness bouncing around their heads as to why they could think when they normally couldn't? Is this why she usually opted _not _to think, so that she could avoid this never ending chain of questions?

But was it really her choice not to think in the first place? She _wanted_ to think, didn't she? Even though these questions and this confusion was strange and hard to follow, wasn't thinking what she wanted?

Didn't it feel...almost...normal?

She was saved from further headache when the door above her head let out a shrill beep, different from the rest, and slid to the side, allowing the cool, night air to rush over her. Her veil danced lightly in the breeze, as did her mask. It lightly traced over the healing burn along her jawline, bringing with the delicate touch a sharp sting. Rin grimaced, lifting her left shoulder as if to shield that side of her face from the feather-light touch of the fabric.

A bright red flash of light poured in through the hole in the ceiling, surprising her. Sounds of fighting flooded her senses, nearly splitting her ears after the near-silence of the halls she had traversed. A roar rose from the outside, a world she only now discovered existed. Bursts of orange light flashed above her and several explosive bangs assaulted her eardrums. She winced.

Those pains robbed her of any pleasure she might have felt at the deceptive kiss of the night air. She clenched her fists and finished her climb, emerging upon the rooftop of the building she called home.

The walls must have been thick if she hadn't heard this ruckus before, especially as close as she had been to the roof. Wasn't the roof usually thinner than walls on most buildings? Or was that some misinformation she had picked up…

Picked up from where?

While she pondered that, she glanced around. She stood atop a dark, smooth roof below countless stars and a single, enormous moon. The horizon was far off; the building appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. But a bang brought her focus back where it was required.

She turned just as a huge gust of hot wind nearly blew her off her feet. Rin gasped, crossing her arms over her face in an attempt to protect it from flying embers. After a moment, the wind subsided, but this was punctuated by a loud cry of, "Ability, activate! Titanium screen!"

Another roar (it sounded so familiar, it was almost unnerving) ripped through the air, and Rin dashed to the edge of the roof to get a closer look. Below her, just as she suspected, a battle was raging. Two young men were fighting; one she recognized as Anubias even from the distance between them, but the other she was certain she had never seen before. He was closer to her than Anubias, so defining features weren't too difficult to discern, but it wasn't easy.

Shaggy brown hair, unkept and somewhat matted, framed his pale face. It lit up periodically like the face of a limestone boulder, shining with the light of whatever attack was directed toward his Bakugan. His arms were bare and glistened with a liquid sheen. Around his left forearm was an white bandage. His pants were also white, seemingly without any stains, and his bare toes were scrunched. Around his left wrist atop the bandage was a black band, one that Rin recognized as a BakuCollar. She had one herself; a souvenir of her recent trip to Bakugan Interspace.

The boy had a wide stance, his arms held defensively in front of his face. A card glowed in front of his wrist, almost as though he were defending _himself_, not his Bakugan. She raised an eyebrow at him. _How odd._

As soon as the attacks ceased barraging the shield before his Bakugan, a humanoid, Pyrus dragon, he loosened up and shifted his stance. "Ability activate! Dragon hard striker!"

Lightning blazed into being, flashing harshly through the air. The dragon Bakugan arched his back, letting loose an earsplitting roar that nearly drowned out the jarring crackle of electricity. The Darkus Bakugan, who Rin recognized as Horridian, howled in broken spurts. It froze in place, just barely choking out it's cry, as it fell to it's knees.

"Horridian!" Anubias shouted. Rin glanced at him, noticing that his legs were spread, too, but his hands were fisted in front of his chest. He was tense.

The lightning fizzled out, allowing shadow to once more cloak the field. Rin stepped forward eagerly, straining her eyes for some clue as to what was transpiring.

A bright purple glow repelled the shadows, illuminating the surprised, gray face of her comrade. Rin's eyes widened and a spark of smug satisfaction lit up within her. She grinned as a red glow joined the purple one and then spiraled out of existence. Both Bakugan returned to their owners, leaving Rin in her darkness.

_Was that the last round? Or is there once more?_ she wondered, settling herself on the edge of the roof. Her legs dangled against the side of the building and she supported her back with her hands, grinning contentedly. As soon as she realized she was smiling, she frowned, confused. _Why am I happy right now? I should be upset; Anubias is losing. _Her forehead creased as her perplexity grew. _I want him to win, don't I?_

"I'm impressed," a voice rang out. _Speak of the Devil. _"You didn't even use your Gate Card. You caught me off guard, your _Highness_."

"Highness?" the opponent questioned cockily. Rin could hear the smirk in his voice. "Last I checked, I wasn't royalty."

"Oh, don't tell me you don't know your reputation precedes you," Anubias replied smugly. He was smirking, too, Rin realized. "Did you know they call you a king, Kuso?"

_Kuso?_

"A king?" He sounded confused, then chuckled. "Is that why you challenged me?"

"Not exactly," Anubias answered after a pause. "You could say that…your friend fueled my hunger for a real challenge."

"Shun?"

"I suppose 'friend' is a rather misleading term. Let's go with the plural."

It was silent for a moment.

"Could you give me a straight answer for once?"

"Now, now, where's the fun in that?"

"You know what?" Kuso said, "Like Shun says, 'talk is cheap.' The only language that matters to me is the language of brawling."

"At last, something we can agree on. Gate card, set!" A purple rectangle revealed where the two were standing; the distance between them akin to an acre. "Bakugan, brawl! Rise, Darkus Horridian!" The Bakugan emerged amidst a burst of light with a roar. Rin smirked, trying to summon some patriotism, and felt relieved when she felt a spark of that feeling. Good, her loyalties were in the right place. Mistress Kazarina would be proud.

_Kazarina_…why did that name suddenly have a negative connotation?

"Bakugan brawl! Let's go, Pyrus Titanium Dragonoid!" Another roar split the night. Rin stared, transfixed, as flames filled the air. The hot winds toyed with her hair and mask. She frowned, briefly wondering why she was wearing it anyway. She didn't have anything to hide, not here. Nothing she was aware of, anyway. Bakugan Interspace she could understand, because people feared the unknown, and fear gave her an advantage in battle. Maybe her Mistress had a reason. _I'll have to ask her about it later…_

"Haaa, Ability activate!" Anubias cried. "Mangler claw!" Horridian glowed purple while a distorted sound caused a ripple in the air. He crossed his arms over his chest, growls emanating from his three heads, as long golden claws jutted out of his bracers. He roared like a jaguar before leaping toward the dragonoid, prepared to strike with everything he had.

"Ability activate!" Kuso cried, spinning and then holding his arm before him. "Titanium hummer!"

The slash Horridian had lifted his arm to take fell upon empty air as the dragonoid disappeared, then reappeared two hundred feet away. Horridian turned in seeming confusion, growling, before leaping in the dragonoid's direction again. He flew through the air powerfully, one arm raised, three golden blades shining in the glow the dragon gave off.

Rin stiffened, an image surfacing.

_A white tiger clad in armor, standing upright was locked in a fierce battle against a royal purple centaur. A dragon roared above, snaking around a humanoid salamander with purple skeleton hands for wings. Blade against blade rang out, and it was hard to believe it might be possible to win…._

Rin shook her head to clear it, banishing the vision. Damn it, she thought she left the presence in her head behind when she banished it. It looked like it wasn't completely gone after all.

Still…something about this image seemed different. She couldn't explain it, but this one felt…kinder. Different from the oppressive voice she heard before. It almost seemed like...a memory...

The dragonoid avoided the Horridian's slash expertly, appearing behind the Bakugan with ease. "Behind you!" Anubias cried, frustrated. Horridian whirled around, catching the dragonoid with a glancing blow as it attempted to dodge.

"Drago!" the opponent shouted, but when Rin glanced at him, he appeared to be just as frustrated as Anubias. She frowned, barely realizing that a lost, conflicted expression had taken over his face. _Drago?_

"Your Drago isn't here, Kuso!" Anubias shouted. "You need to get your facts straight. Maybe this will help clear your head! Ability activate! End guardner alpha!"

Horridian howled and smoke filled the air. Rin leaned forward, frowning, as Horridian disappeared inside the smog. Kuso took a startled step back, crying, "What the—?"

That was when three Horridians appeared, each launching themselves at the dragonoid with claws outstretched. "Get out of there!" Kuso shouted, but it was too late. The slashes made contact with the scaly body of his Bakugan, eliciting a loud cry of pain from him.

"End guardner alpha is an ability that splits Horridian into three different parts," Anubias explained with an almost sadistic amusement. Kuso growled, shooting a frustrated glare at his opponent. "The only downside is that Horridian's power level is divided by three, but I think that's a necessary sacrifice for triple the speed, don't you?" Another slash connected with the dragon Bakugan. The ensuing cry hurt Rin's ears, especially when it was joined by Kuso's.

"Hold on! Ability activate! Dragon hard striker!"

That seemed to give the dragonoid a boost; he soared into the air where Horridian couldn't get to him, let out another roar, and filled the area with lightning. Rin gasped, shielding her head needlessly from the electricity. Horridian howled in pain, all three parts bouncing off the ground in different directions.

"Horridian!" Anubias shouted. He hissed. "Okay, fine then. Ability, activate! Deadly nightmare!" Three differently shaped blasts erupted from Horridian's mouths, shooting straight for the dragonoid.

"Ability activate! Revolutional!" Kuso held his arm up above his head as the card floated out, lighting up his face. The dragonoid arched his back, snarling, as a burst of red and white energy tore from his mouth. It hit the first magnifier with a sizzling sound that only increased with the next two it passed through, erupting from the third one as an energy burst almost as large as the Bakugan itself.

The two energies collided in mid air, and the resulting explosion lit up the field like a firework. A thunderous bang shook the building, forcing Rin to hold on to the edge of the roof for dear life. Kuso and Anubias were both straining against the force of the hot winds, the same ones that were beginning to tear at Rin's veil, and Rin had to squint just to make out the red-and-white clad boy on the ground below her.

The light died down after a few moments, as did, thankfully, the wind. Horridian had returned to his singular form, looking tired. Neither boy wasted any time with the counter attack, something that struck Rin as odd, but she didn't know why she thought it was strange.

"Ability activate!" they shouted.

"Deadly nightmare!"

"Titanium hummer!"

The dragonoid avoided the shots expertly, gliding between them with the grace of a hawk. _It's graceful, isn't it?_ Rin thought, thinking of Mistress Sellon. _But what's so great about graceful? It sounds so stuffy..._

The dragonoid then shot into the air, far out of Horridian's reach. Kuso smirked. "Got you now!"

"Not so fast, Kuso! Gate card, open! Darkus Nebulous!" The dragonoid cried out, his wings suddenly buckling, as he was pulled to the ground. Kuso hissed while Anubias smirked. "What was that you were saying?"

"Stuff it!" Kuso snapped. He spun, throwing out his left arm with a wince. "Ability activate! Dragon force striker!"

Lightning once again filled the air, this time joined by a powerful beam of white-hot energy. Anubias hissed.

"Get out of there! Horridian!" The Bakugan dove to the side but was not quick enough to avoid a scalding encounter with the beam. It howled in pain as it crashed into the ground. Anubias growled. "Get up!"

Kuso rested one hand on his hip while Horridian got to his feet, a tired sheen to it's eyes. He was smirking as his own Bakugan shook out his wings, flicking his tail. Rin raised an eyebrow at her superior's opponent. Why wasn't he finishing the fight while he was ahead?

Anubias was apparently thinking the same thing. "Why are you just standing there?" he demanded, agitated. "You could have finished me!"

"Are you kidding me, dude?" Kuso asked, chuckling. "This is the most fun I've had in ages!"

"Fun?" Rin watched Anubias' tense figure, then smirked as he did. Something told her that this was typical of the brunette. She wasn't sure what told her, nor did she care, as this battle was just what Kuso had described it as. Fun.

"You're one strange kid, Kuso."

"Heh, tell me that after you've met my girlfriend." Rin thought she saw Anubias smirk at that, apparently amused. "Ability activate! Titanium hummer!"

"Ability activate! Variant commando!"

From that point on, the battle grew more and more heated. Kuso was smiling broadly, sweat coursing down his face and staining his shirt. Anubias looked about as amused, although a tad bit irritated as the battle went on. It wasn't long before he was completely on the defensive, dodging one assault only to find himself ensnared in another. Rin gave this turn of events a cursory thought, aware that this brawler's style was different from what she had been expecting, but not finding so much fault in it to warrant all of her attention. It was hard enough keeping track of which hits landed and which were simply dodged.

It wasn't until the sky had begun to lighten when the battle's victor truly emerged. Horridian had finally been barraged with more hits from Kuso's dragon than he could handle, and despite Anubias' angered cries, nothing more could keep him standing. The Bakugan dropped to his knees, then pressed his face into the dirt. "Get up!" Anubias shouted, but to no avail. The cerberus groaned as light encased it, creating a reverse silhouette of it against the shadows of the ground. Royal purple obscured it's features, and then it had swirled into a minuscule dot, shooting back toward it's master.

It came to a stop at Anubias' feet, or so Rin assumed, and then the Gundalian had dropped to one knee. His chest seemed to heave as he drank in large gulps of air. His eyes were hidden from his opponent and the Haos battler on the rooftop by his dull gray hair, which was now beginning to reflect a faint blue-green glow.

Rin snorted as the dragonoid swirled back into ball form and returned to Kuso, who caught it expertly. He smiled, opening his hand to look down at the lifeless game piece before him. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but a moment later, seemed to catch himself. _Duh_, Rin thought, rolling her eyes. _They're not alive, you moron— _She froze.

But…weren't they?

* * *

><p>Dan caught himself just when his mouth opened. His vocal chords seized uncomfortably in his throat, the air initially reserved for that purpose not passing through them to make sound. His face fell. This wasn't Drago, no matter how inclined he was to believe that.<p>

He stared at the game piece for a moment, wondering if it was sentient at all, before he sighed, closed his fist, and tucked it into his pocket. Maybe it would come in handy later, he told himself, though in his heart, he knew it was a lie. Anubias would never let him keep it, he knew that. Especially not now, after he'd beaten him. Maybe he should have thrown the match, made Anubias think he wasn't a threat. Maybe then he could have done something to free his friends.

But the damage was done, and Anubias knew his rank wasn't just a sham. Nothing he could do now.

Speaking of Anubias…

Dan lifted his gaze, taking in the motionless kneeling figure across the field. He had dropped to one knee, hair almost invisible due to the angle his head was bent at. His shoulders lifted and fell noticeably, but not rapidly, to Dan's mild chagrin. One hand reached out then to retrieve Horridian, and his eyes lifted, taking in his opponent with a dark look.

Even so, Dan could feel no remorse for his victory. He grinned at his beaten opponent, an action that registered in the back of his mind as something liable to get him punched in the face later—not that he cared too much, since this was worth it—and stretched his arms out. His fingers locked together behind his head as he leaned back, for the first time in an eternity of two weeks feeling somewhat content. Not even the searing, pulsing pain of his burns could take this moment from him.

A breeze chilled the drops of sweat on his face, lifting his hair as though trying to carry it to freedom. As if the wind knew that Dan was a captive, as if it desired nothing more than the liberation of the universe's protector. Perhaps it knew that with the boy in the clutches of such a tyrant as his captor that not even it would be free.

He turned to face the wind, closing his eyes. It buffeted his closed eyelids and face, kissing him forcefully, caressing him intimately. A long lost lover, it was, rejoicing in the short-lived, but no less overdue, reconciliation of its consort. It pushed past the barrier of his clothes and made sure to trail its feather touch along his chest. Pressing against each cell of his skin, it was sure to let the captive know that freedom did still exist. _Freedom is here_, it whispered. _Come, follow me; join me in my dance._

His eyelids parted and light trickled in. The sky was lightening above the field, revealing stout, plateau-like mountains in the distance. The press of the wind grew less insistent, the roar in his ears becoming a whine, then a whistle, then, as his bangs fell against his forehead, silent altogether.

He couldn't join it; he knew that in his heart. Joe was here. Mylene and the others were here. And someone else, someone he surely loved, was here, too. Leaving to enjoy freedom on his own, while his friends suffered the horrors of captivity—or, perhaps, worse—would be selfish. Cruel.

He would never forgive himself.

The carefree grin had fallen, a stoic, tired expression taken its place. But he forced it away as soon as he noticed the change. He was going to smile while he could, enjoy the air while he could, enjoy the feeling of _freedom_. Outside, beneath the sky, where he could extend his arms and reach and imagine that the sky was a liquid through which his fingers could trail, he was as close to free as he would feel for who knew how long.

_Savor it,_ he told himself.

He dropped to his knees and then stretched out on his back, splaying his arms and legs out spread-eagle on the ground. He nearly choked on the pain, sitting up immediately. Grimacing, he grit his teeth against the hellfire that burst into being on his back. _Oh geez… _

He flipped over onto his stomach, trying to block out the pain. Instead, he pressed his forehead into the grass, into the dirt. He stretched out his arms before him, as far forward as they would go, and dug his fingers into the dirt beneath them. He closed his eyes and drank in the air.

With his nose in the dirt, all he could detect was it's musty odor. He turned his head to the side, and more revealed itself to him. The air's sweet scent washed through his nose, it's crisp, slight menthol tang chilling it like a leaf of spearmint. Cool dewdrops from the grass that tickled his cheek and sent shivers up his spine. Goosebumps covered his arms. He drank in the feeling of freedom as though it were champagne.

The silence of the breaking dawn was interrupted by the sound of a footfall to Dan's left, but he didn't open his eyes. They didn't open even when he heard the impatient shifting of the Gundalian's feet. Instead, the face surrounding his closed eyes smirked, and he spoke.

"You know, the air here is sweeter than Earth's," he said. "New Vestroia, too. Not quite as sweet as Nethia, though."

He took Anubias's silence for surprise at his speech. He kept his eyes closed.

"Doesn't smell like anything even close to what Gundalia smells like. No offense or anything, but that place kinda smells like the basement at Shun's dojo."

"Hmph. Wouldn't know. Never been there."

"Shun's dojo? Good. Trust me, if you value your life, you'll never go there."

"No. Gundalia."

Dan opened his eyes, surprised, and propped his head up on a hand. He lifted an eyebrow at Anubias, who was standing above him. His eyes were fixed on the lightening horizon, a serious look on his face. Dan frowned.

"Why?" Anubias guessed the question on his tongue. "The Master has never sent me there."

"The master?" Dan repeated. Anubias didn't acknowledge his speaking. "I thought you worked for Barodius. _Emperor_ Barodius."

"Titles are unimportant," the Gundalian said gruffly. Dan knew enough conversational cues to know he didn't want the matter pursued. He didn't press it, hoping that keeping his guard in a good mood would further his time in the open.

"Whatever, man." He sat up and crossed his legs. He glanced up at his captor. Anubias was frowning at the horizon with an intense look in his eyes. His lips were pressed in a firm line, and Dan likened the glare to that which he himself often gave to a situation that needed a quick solution. He raised an eyebrow. "Have you never seen a sunrise before or something?"

Anubias glared down at Dan. "Why do you care?" Dan shrugged.

"Just asking. I mean, if you were raised on Gundalia, I'd understand never seeing a sunrise. It's not like you can see much there."

"Hmph. I know what a sunrise is," Anubias said curtly. "Come on, you've had your fun. Time to go back inside."

Dan didn't move, instead turned his gaze back toward the horizon. "Knowing what a sunrise is isn't the same as seeing one." He could feel Anubias' eyes boring into him, but he didn't meet his gaze. The sky was beginning to turn orange.

"Get up." That was an order. An order Dan disobeyed. A second later, electricity was running down Anubias' hand. Dan whipped his head around to glare at him.

"Oh, for goodness freaking sake, just let me watch the goddamn sunrise," he snapped. Anubias's eyes narrowed.

"I don't take orders from you, Kuso."

"I don't really care. I'm not moving." His glare morphed into a frown, and he turned back to the horizon. Anubias growled. He grabbed Dan's shirt collar and yanked him to his feet, eliciting an intake of breath from the teen, but nothing more. The fabric pressed against the whiplashes, sending waves of pain up his spine. He refused to show it. Anubias then pushed Dan from him, forcing him to catch himself or fall in the wet grass. He caught himself, sending the pseudo-Gundalian an annoyed look.

"You're in no position to say what you're going to and what you're not going to do," Anubias growled. Dan folded his arms over his chest.

"Don't you think I know that? I'm a hostage." Anubias' glare intensified. "You're going to use me so your 'master' or whatever the hell you call him can take over the universe. And we all know I'm gonna stop you or die trying."

"You're awfully optimistic."

"Nah. Not really." Dan dropped into a squat. "If things go the way I think they're gonna, then this'll be the last sunrise I ever see." His statement was met with silence. "I know Barodius," he continued, keeping his face carefully blank. "Once I'm useless, he'll get rid of me. He'll do the same to you. Already did it to Stoica and Ren."

The sky had taken on a brilliant red glow, the most intense than Dan had ever seen. The red bled into a pale orange, which in turn faded to lavender and then receding indigo. A few distant stars were still visible on the far side of the sky, apparently intent upon sparkling until the glow of the closer star erased them from view. The few clouds present were lined with an ethereal luminescence, immediately differentiating them from the surrounding sky. Wispy feathered clouds trailed a fuchsia pink through the different layers of watercolored sky, transcending each separate zone.

This is what he was protecting.

Was he prepared to die for it?

"I know that."

Dan shot a glance at Anubias. "You do?" The Gundalian was glaring at the horizon again, but turned it back to Dan. He was still clearly agitated. "Why do you work for him, then?"

"None of your business, Kuso."

"If he's gonna screw you over, then why—"

"Shut up, will you? Just watch your goddamn sunrise."

Dan snorted. "Fine, fine. Whatever." However, he did allow a small smile of satisfaction as he turned back to the rising sun.

With that, the sun peeked over the horizon, adding pale golden rays to the palette of brightness. Dan breathed in the morning air, savoring it's crisp chill. A few insects buzzed nearby, and somewhere, a bird chirped. Displatis was awake, it's sun revealing it's unique beauty.

This time, he didn't allow himself to frown. He smiled and stared into the light. Into the light of all he was protecting, that which gave life to all it touched.

It was like the Infinity Core: it gave life. Nothing could survive without it's energy. It gave Hydron a second chance. It gave Mylene and Shadow and Lync and Volt and even Sid a second chance.

Dan wouldn't be the one to take it's power away.

Suddenly, a shiver shot down Dan's spine, and before he knew it, he was turning. In fact, his neck snapped around so quickly it spasmed, and he grimaced. He wasn't sure what he was looking for or even why he had moved, but the figure on the roof caught his eye. His mouth dropped open in shock, a look mirrored on the half of her face he could see.

There was a girl there, dressed in a mid-length skirt and white knee high boots. A golden cape flared out behind her in the wind, as did her veil and face covering. Her veil was white turned gold by the sun, and the tiara on her head glinted harshly.

Her eyes were wide, too, locked on his, but neither could see them. The distance was too great, but both knew that feeling of recognition. It was like that moment you see a person at the store, someone familiar and yet not, and you're certain you know them but can't remember from where.

And then the moment was gone, and the girl was running, fleeing, and Dan didn't stop her, for calling out would alert Anubias, who somehow had not already noticed his distraction, and Dan knew that by speaking, he would break the spell. So he turned back around, puzzled but distracted by the marvel that was the sun, and resolved to consider this new development later. For now, he had the sun, he had the world, and the freedom of the sky before him.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh gosh, long chapter. Looooong chapter...no wonder this took me a...year...oh geez.<strong>

**Well…sorry for the lack of updates. Uuugh…procrastination…**

**So many people have been favoriting and reviewing this lately…I'm so sorry. I keep thinking about this, planning the next chapters, and even drawing art for this that probably won't ever wind up finished…I mean, I tried making a graphic novelization of the first chapter. It's coming along. Slowly. Sorta. Not really. One page is done...one...page…**

**ANYWAY**

**I have the next 3 ish chapters written. Written, not edited, and there WILL be editing. Why is it that I'm most productive when I'm on the other side of America? I don't understand. I get stuff done when I'm on the West coast but definitely not the East coast. Actually, a lot of it gets done on the plane...the first part of this chapter was actually written a year ago...on the plane...oh gosh. I'm a horrible person. Urghhh...I'm gonna try to get this stuff coming along more consistently…**

**I'm sorry! I'm soooo sorry! It's summer now and I have a ton of AP stuff to do but uuuugh, I'm gonna get more chapters up…. probably one a month or something.**

**OMG! EMPRESSPYRUS! I LOVE YOU! She beta-read this for me and is just awesome and kyuuu, I love you EmpressPyrus! I don't know what I'd do without her; you guys should REALLY send her a thank you note or something because she keeps reminding me to do this! I LOVE YOU!**

**Deadlines. They kill me. And then revive me and kill me again. Ugh.**

**Um...if you'd be so kind as to tell me what you thought (and hopefully not brutally murder me), please start typing down below...**


	26. Politics

**Just a quick A/N:**

**Sorry to those of you that got the email about this and found a wall of coded text. There was an error in posting this that EmpressPyrus informed me of immediately after I pressed "publish chapter", so thank you EmpressPyrus!**

**Oh, and there are some OC's in this chapter; I'm not sure if you guys remember them from chapter 4(?), but Obsidian and Cassie are present in this chapter. Maron is as well, but I don't own Maron. But if you don't remember who they are, please check out chapter 4 and it's all explained there ^_^**

**Anyway, here you go! **

* * *

><p><strong>"Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them." <strong>

**― Lou Holtz**

* * *

><p>For the first time in the past week, both Shun and Marucho were asleep. For the first time in the past two weeks, they had both been asleep for more than two hours. So, this was the first time in nearly a month that the control room was devoid of either of their presences.<p>

Frankly, she was surprised that they had fallen asleep on their own. Marucho had been surviving on Five Hour Energy, coffee, and some foul smelling herbal tea that he claimed helped wake him up even more than the coffee. He barely ingested anything that wasn't a protein bar, the aforementioned beverages, or a can of Red Bull. He practically had an I.V. pumping stimulants into his bloodstream. No matter what anyone said to him, he refused to lie down until they had Dan back with them.

Not even Shun could convince him to take a nap. Of course, the fact that Shun was doing the same thing wasn't helping his argument any. Shun, though, was living solely on tea, whatever food Cato brought him (which he rarely finished), and meditation. He said he slept, but no one believed him. The dark circles under his eyes called his bluff. When he wasn't meditating or drinking tea, he was off battling someone in Bakugan Interspace, or brooding out of sight.

At least, that was how it was until he and Taylean took a deadly hit in Interspace the other day. At that point, Fabia drew the line, but Shun only listened because there would have been no way he could defend himself against her with his entire torso wrapped in bandages. Only then did he agree to lie down and sleep. Marucho joined him soon after, but only because Ren locked him in the same room and stationed Paige outside with instructions to knock him out with her fists if he tried to leave.

Thankfully, this not only meant that their two strongest teammates were finally getting the rest they needed, but also that Mira didn't have to find another place to converse with the Council back on Vestal. At the moment, the already unstable situation on her planet was going to hell in a handbasket, and the last thing she wanted to worry about was finding a place to remotely attend the meeting.

At the moment, she was alone in the room. That wouldn't last for long, though; Ace would probably drop by sooner or later to make sure she hadn't sustained another concussion or something. In any case, the privacy made it a lot easier to hold a conversation—especially one with as much weight as the one she was having currently.

Cassie was clearly panicked; Mira could tell that much from the look on the young princess' face. She was trying to hide it for Mira's benefit, but she still was only eleven, and her large, innocent eyes betrayed her. She hadn't been raised in a castle; she had only assumed this position a year ago. Her mother had left her with a friend when she was five and never came back, and while her foster parents had been kind, they never invested as much effort in raising her as true parents should have. She didn't know how to deal with responsibility properly and often broke down in tense moments, and the lack of parental figures in her life was clearly having an effect on her. She was very insecure and did not react well to criticism, but it was something Mira was helping her through.

At the moment, though, most of Mira's advice was going right over her head, but that wasn't entirely Cassie's fault. Part of it might have had something to do with the shouting match taking place on the other side of the room, where Maron was telling off a member of the advising council for blaming Cassie for their troubles. Obsidian was rubbing her hand in circles on Cassie's back, while the princess was trying hard to keep her attention focused on both what Mira was saying and the accusations Maron was hurling at the advisor.

"Listen, Cassie, I need you to take a deep breath, okay?" Mira tried again. Cassie inhaled slowly, then expelled the air after holding it for a moment. Mira nodded encouragingly. "Good. Now, what exactly is he saying?"

"The guy from the Crimson League or Joel?" Cassie asked, glancing nervously at the councilman Maron was giving a verbal beatdown.

"The guy from the Crimson League."

"He says Keith is training me to be a dictator, like my father," she replied, hugging herself as if she were cold. For all Mira knew, she could be, since she was wearing a no-sleeved dress, but something told her the temperature of the room was the least of her worries. "Since Keith used to be Spectra, a lot of people are thinking he's teaching me to be power hungry, like he was when he was Spectra." Mira refused to let her exasperation show on her face. _For goodness sakes, people, couldn't you give us a break? Keith's changed!_

"Lady Mira, you cannot deny that these accusations have a root in reality," came the agitated voice of one of the older councilmen, Elias Gaunt. Mira was not particularly fond of him, but then again, she wasn't particularly fond of any of the councilmen. Maybe it was because they all behaved like pompous know-it-alls, but that was an issue for another day. "The protests will turn into full-fledged riots any day now!"

"The strikes are also causing worldwide economic stalemates," the financial advisor added. "This year's GDP is at it's lowest in the past two hundred years, and even Klaus Industries is suffering severe budget cuts and is being forced to lay off workers! The unemployment rate is at twenty five percent! One quarter of the population is without work! More than sixteen percent of the nation's youth lives on the street and the expenditures to keep youth shelters open are—"

"Thank you, Nethaniel," Mira cut him off tersely, already well aware that the economic train had long since derailed. "How are the efforts for colonization of New Vestroia coming along?"

"They are also at an all time low," Nethaniel replied, his words clipped. Clearly, he did not appreciate having been interrupted in the middle of his report. "Only two thousand civilians took part in the most recent trip. Do you have any idea how much this effort is bruising our economy? New Vestroia is lacking in goods and, honest to goodness, the only thing keeping our economy afloat right now are the tournaments in the cities."

"They're also the only thing keeping Vestals on New Vestroia from overthrowing the governors and caretakers in Alpha, Beta and Gama cities," Joel spat. Maron visibly bristled, and Obsidian discreetly tugged on her cape to encourage her to keep quiet.

"Why aren't they having the same effect on Vestal?" Mira questioned. Obsidian decided to speak this time.

"The godforsaken Crimson League is to blame for that one," she growled, crossing her arms. "They took over most of the arenas in the area. Those outside the Capital are still open, but participation has slowed down a lot ever since the bomb in Tridium." Mira sighed, tugging on her ponytail to try to keep her wits about her.

The Crimson League was, as far as Mira was concerned, a terrorist organization. It had started a few years back, when she, Keith, Gus, Ace, and Baron returned from their excursion battling the Alternative. Very few people were enthusiastic about allowing Keith—who, as far as they were concerned, was the infamous Spectra Phantom—to take such a position of power. Very few people supported a monarchy at all, actually. After Zenoheld, they all had become rather wary of allowing power to be held in the hands of one single person.

In the absence of authority, riots and looting quickly overcame any semblance of a judicial system. Politicians were found dead in their homes, children were kidnapped and held for ransom that was rarely paid, and many people starved due to the already unstable economy made worse by failed colonization of New Vestroia and the lack of governmental stability. Gangs with decent Bakugan battling ability were the ones in charge, and most of their leadership skills were severely lacking. As such, the whole planet was in chaos.

Keith, Mira and the others managed to get things under control through their use of the Bakugan. They gained support from former supporters of the Resistance, along with some Vexos fans, although Keith made it clear that the Vexos no longer existed by battling without his mask. They found Cassie and quickly publicized her status as the heir to the throne. However, her association with Zenoheld and Hydron immediately earned her public dislike. Vandalism of her former home forced her foster family into protective custody. Friends ostracized her, family members turned their backs on her, and most people wanted nothing more than to keep her from the throne. They didn't want a repeat of what they had just been through.

The Crimson League had been the first to start an uprising against Keith, and, once his favor of Cassie was made public, against her as well. They were behind the majority of the protests that took place, unafraid of the violence they frequently stirred up. They were cruel to those unfortunate enough to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, often beating them until they were unrecognizable, dead, or a combination thereof. So far, riots had been uncommon, but a few had broken out.

Their leader was one who stayed in the shadows; no one knew who he was or even his gender. Anyone who claimed to have any association with him usually turned up dead the next day, and the leads that the law enforcement received from them always turned out to be false trails. It was looking like it wasn't just an organization opposed to Cassie and Spectra, but rather, a hate group that wanted nothing more than to destroy any and all power held by the royal family. Sure, there had been incidents involving protests of the monarchy in the past, but never to this scale. And usually, the perpetrator was quick to show his face and take credit for his handiwork. Not this time.

Mira dropped her hands to her lap, thinking. This was complicated, and the councilmen were giving her little time to consider her options. She hadn't thought that this position would be this difficult when Keith first suggested it; she didn't have the necessary background in order to be successful in politics. Sure, she made it a priority to study up on it once she discovered the issue with the Bakugan on New Vestroia, but once their fight began, it took a back seat in the grand scheme of things. Once that fight was over and they took on the problem of the Crimson League and all the other gangs running rampant on Vestal, she had begun to study more, often late into the night. Book smarts were doing little to help her right now, though.

"Admiral Marshall, how many active troops are in the area at the moment?" Mira asked. The view on the monitor before her shifted so that she could look at the whole table—more than ten men, all over the age of fifty, and three women, two of which were in their sixties. Cassie sat at the far head, Maron (who had abandoned her shouting match with Joel) and Obsidian standing behind her, and the two seats beside the princess were empty. That was usually where Spectra and Mira sat. Cassie looked highly uncomfortable without her mentors by her sides, even though this wasn't the only instance where she had to face the council alone.

Admiral Marshall, one of the younger men on the council (though still sporting gray hair and a balding scalp) and the representative of the Commandant, tapped a few keys on the tabletop in front of him. A few screens appeared in front of his face. "Lady Mira, sixteen thousand men currently have residencies in the Capital Military Base."

"And the Air Force base?"

"Fourteen thousand."

"What about the B Striking unit?"

"Four hundred men, Milady."

Mira considered this for a moment. The B Striking unit (shamelessly named for Bee Striker, a Bakugan commonly used by Ventus battlers on Earth during the battles against Naga) was a newly implemented military branch. Battlers that were gifted but showed little to no interest in tournaments (a surprisingly common occurrence) were given the opportunity to enlist in this special branch of the military, organized by Keith and Gus. The groups were sorted depending on Bakugan attribute; most Ventus Bakugan were a part of the Air Force, Aquos the Navy, Sub-Terra the ground forces. Haos, Darkus and Pyrus were split up depending on their ability to work with others and their physical limitations.

"Alright, make sure they are all prepared to intervene in the event of a riot," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. This job was going to make her go gray before she turned twenty. "Yes, I know that Reflection Act 16 prevents the military from intervening in a domestic setting, but if the police cannot handle this, priority one is to remove Her Highness from the violence, and then quell any aggression as peacefully as possible."

"I believe that it would be best to remove Cassandra from the situation all together," snapped an irritated councilman whose name Mira had had difficulty remembering since she first met him. She instantly caught his lack of Cassie's title and grit her teeth in anger. He was the most petulant on the council, one of the elders. Twenty years ago he had been tried for supposedly stealing money from the state, but the judge declared a mistrial after the courtroom was blown up and all the lawyers, jurors, and witnesses were killed. The councilman was in the hospital for three years, his position filled in by a multitude of replacements that all had no idea what they were doing. He took the spot again once he recovered enough, though not by popular demand. Zenoheld himself placed him in that position of power, and the money started disappearing again. Everyone knew who was responsible, but he was never tried again. The only reason he was still there was because he was the most experience with foreign affairs. He had been the secretary of state for over thirty five years, and with all the other chaos in the government, replacing him for embezzlement at a time like this would have been a ridiculously stupid move. Even so, Mira hated him.

Cassie shifted in her seat, her cheeks flaming. "All of these problems are because of her!" he continued. "Not only is she a descendant of that traitor Zenoheld, but her blood is stained! The bloodline of the royal family is soiled thanks to her prostitute of a mother!"

His outburst shocked everyone in the room into silence. Mira's mouth dropped open, and Cassie looked to be on the verge of tears. Maron was enraged, her cheeks pink and her eyes beady with hate. The only reason she hadn't leapt at him was because Obsidian, despite her own shock and anger, had taken a fistful of her cape and refused to let go.

For a moment, no one spoke, but then murmurs of agreement had started to circulate around the table. Cassie looked around helplessly, clearly struggling to keep her emotions under control. Mira struggled to get her own under wraps, quickly feeling herself become blinded by rage but understanding the danger of it's fire. How dare they say such things! This was treason!

She was about to open her mouth to say such when Obsidian started to speak. In a perfectly level voice that Mira was sure she herself wouldn't be able to emulate, she said, "Up until the moment Zenoheld betrayed us, I had absolute faith in the monarchy and the council that advised it. I was proud to be a Vestal. I was proud to live under such wise, just leaders. But now I see that that faith was just childhood naiveté. The system was corrupt back then, and it's still corrupt now. You, councilman"—she pointed to the secretary of state, whose death glare was reddening—"are a disgrace. To our families, to our kingdom, to our planet. You should be ashamed of yourself.

"And yeah, we all know that you were embezzling the state. You should be in prison right now, but instead, you're here.

"Cassie has nothing to do with her blood. That issue comes from her parents. I'd be ashamed to be related to Zenoheld at all, and no one even knows who her mother was, so stop assuming that she was a prostitute just because she had an affair with the king. She is the only heir, and you should count yourselves lucky we have an heir at all. You saw all the gangs fighting for leadership just two years ago. How would you like it if we had some power crazy dictator in charge, moving drugs and all sorts of other contraband through the kingdom? You would have any say in anything he tried to do; in fact, you'd probably all be dead."

The secretary of state's face was turning purple, but Obsidian either didn't notice or didn't care. Probably the latter.

"The only reason any of you are even here is because of Keith and Mira Fermin, who chased all of you cowards out of hiding and dragged you back here, provided you with protection, a warm bed, and even found you the rightful heir to this throne. They saved your lives, gave you a say in what the government will do at all, and even made sure that you got a decent salary. Not a single one of you deserves to be on this council; you're all a bunch of power hungry pigs who are loyal to nobody but yourselves.

"Get your freaking act together, you morons," she snapped. "You have an entire planet and a half depending on your decisions. You have over nine billion people's and millions of Bakugan's fates in your grubby hands, and you had better get your heads out of your butts—" "Obsidian!" Mira cried—"and start shaping up to deal with the problem. Princess Cassie is the heir. Get over your issues with that and start working towards solutions."

The room was silent for all of ten seconds, all of which Mira spent dealing with conflicting emotions. A huge part of her agreed with what Obsidian said, another part wanted to throttle her for using so many disrespectful terms, another was wondering what the hell they were going to do now that they'd managed to tick off most of the council, and another just wanted to curl up in a ball and let someone else deal with the problem. Of course, none of those would be acceptable responses to the situation, but before she could even come up with one, the door to her room slammed open. She jumped about a foot in the air, knocking Wilda, who had been perched, silent, on her shoulder, to the ground, before she whirled around to face the newcomer.

Much to her surprise, it was Baron, whose eyes were wide with excitement. Mira stared at him in shock, trying to process what he was doing. He was breathing hard, his cheeks pink, and his forehead glistened with sweat, as if he had been either working out, battling or running.

"Baron, what are you doing here?" Mira stammered as soon as she found her voice. "I'm in the middle of a meeting—"

"Forget that!" Baron interrupted. "You've gotta come see this!"

"See what, Baron?" Mira demanded. "I'm having a meeting with the council! What could possibly be so important—"

"They traced the gate!" he cried, and Mira froze. _They found Dan? _Baron shook his head, guessing what she was thinking. "No, not Dan's—the one from the death bomb!"

"But they traced that weeks—"

"We weren't certain, remember? And the track was so unstable before, that's why we couldn't just follow them in another black portal! Come _on_! The Gate's all ready to go; you're going to go find Mylene and Shadow!"

"Wait, let me get this straight." Mira had heard everything he said, and suddenly felt overcome with excitement, but was trying to make sure she had heard correctly. "You opened a Gate to Displatis?"

"Yeah, yeah! Come on, you've gotta _see_ this!" The sound of a throat clearing from the communicator behind her brought her attention back. She glanced at the monitor, taking in the angry face of the nearest councilman. Mira blanched.

"Baron, I can't—I'm in the middle of a meeting!" she repeated.

"I actually think we should adjourn for the day," Cassie said sharply, exercising her authority for the first time during the meeting. Mira blinked, surprised that she had actually spoken up. Cassie didn't usually take control, preferring to let Mira and Keith keep charge during the meetings. This time, though, she appeared to have had enough.

Apparently, the other councilmen weren't as impressed by her newfound leadership skills at Mira was. "But, Cassandra—"

"You will address me by my title, Councilman," Cassie replied curtly, the fire in her eyes wavering. Mira caught a glimpse of Obsidian's hand rest on her shoulder, realizing that it was Obsidian who was egging her on. _Someone owes that girl a party_, Mira thought, resisting the urge to shake her head in wonder.

Cassie steeled herself once again. "Obsidian is right. I am the only heir to the throne. I wish to be clear: I do value your input, as you have much more experience in running a country than I do. Despite this, I will not allow you to insult my family or abuse your authority as senior members of the government." She took a deep breath before she continued. "I believe that it would be a very wise decision to adjourn for the time being. The problems that this planet has will not be solved by arguing or flinging insults. We will return to this meeting tomorrow and all further discussions will be conducted in a civil manner. Have I made myself clear?"

Agitated mumblings were her reply. She gritted her teeth. "Have I made myself clear?" she repeated.

"Yes, your Highness," came the reply of the head councilman. Cassie nodded, satisfied, and stood. Everyone else at the table rose and remained standing until she, Maron, and Obsidian left the room. The guards standing before the main doors opened them for the trio, and closed them as they passed, leaving Mira with the rest of the council. She let out a breath of relief that Cassie had finally been able to stand up to the council, something that the terrified little girl they had found on a street corner two years ago would never have been able to do. However, the good mood was shattered by the vicious glares cast her way by the councilmen as soon as the doors shut behind the princess.

Mira ended her call abruptly, not wanting to start another argument. She sighed, resting her elbows on the desk in front of her and putting her head in her hands. Baron was silent, as if he were unsure how to respond to what he had just witnessed.

"Are you alright, Mira?" Wilda asked.

"Yeah," she replied breathily, rubbing her eyes. She turned to face Baron tiredly. "Where's the gate?"

"Mira, is everything okay?" Baron asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine." She stood up, tucking a small communicator into her pocket. "Where is the Gate?"

"It's…it's in Russia, with Dr. Michael," Baron replied tentatively, following her to the door. "The others are all meeting downstairs, by the fountain. Alice is gonna transport us there."

"How many of us?"

"I don't know; I know Master Shun is going, and Ace, maybe. It's mostly recon, Alice said." Mira nodded in understanding as they headed for the elevator that would take them to that floor.

"What about Keith?" she asked softly.

"…I don't know," Baron murmured.

They were silent for a few moments while they waited for it to arrive, but Mira didn't mind the silence. She had a lot to think about, knowing that the meeting should take precedence, but instead focusing on Mylene and Shadow. It had been so long since she'd seen them, and that last meeting hadn't gone well. Her memories flashed back to that last, horrible battle in Bakugan Interspace, how angry Mylene had been, and so proud, too. No matter what Spectra or Mira said, nothing could convince her to join them.

Not even impending death.

As they stepped into the elevator, Mira covered her right hand with her left. Her fingers tingled from the afterimage of Mylene's hand grasped between them. Even though it had been three years, she still couldn't shake it. She remembered those last moments more clearly than anything except those with her father; the cold hate of Mylene's icy gaze, the bundle of fingers she desperately clung to. She remember how it felt when the ground beneath her shuddered and they slipped. She remembered the horrible despair that came after. That blank screen, the silence of that room after the chaos of Interspace.

It still gave her the chills.

"Mira, are you sure you're okay?" Nemus asked. Mira blinked, glancing at him.

"You're being awfully quiet," Baron agreed, concern in his blue eyes. "And you have goosebumps." Mira hid her surprise and forced a smile.

"Really, it's nothing. I'm just nervous about seeing Mylene and Shadow after so long." The lie came effortlessly, but Baron wasn't fooled.

"Mira, I've known you too long to fall for that," he said, turning to face her instead of the elevator door. Mira avoided his gaze. "Come on. We're friends; I promise I won't tell if you don't want me to."

"Baron, there's nothing wrong," Mira insisted, fixing her gaze on the changing floor numbers. Three floors until their level, then she could avoid this conversation.

"Then what was that whole thing with the council?" he questioned. Mira's fists clenched.

"Something like that happens every time," she replied, keeping her voice level. Two more floors. "It's really nothing new." Baron was silent, and though Mira wondered why, she didn't want to attract his attention by moving. One more floor.

The door opened without Baron saying anything else, and Mira immediately moved to exit, but Baron caught her wrist. Mira started, surprised, but was thrown off even more by the serious look in his eyes. "Mira, I can't make you tell me what's wrong," he said, "or even make you admit that there's something wrong. That's you; the headstrong leader of the Resistance."

The elevator door started to close, but Baron stopped it with his free hand. The doors retracted into the wall, and he stepped out. He didn't let go of her, though.

"We all admire you for that. The whole _planet_ admires you for that. But that time when you had to shoulder every burden that came our way is over. Ace and I—and Keith and Gus, too—we're more than willing to help you, Mira."

She looked away—not out of shame this time, but because she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. She couldn't let him see…he couldn't know that she was scared and unsure and helpless and hurting. She had to protect him—it was her job as stand in queen.

Queens didn't cry.

It took a considerable effort, but she prevented the tears from spilling out. She smiled sadly. "Thank you, Baron." Her voice conveyed her sincerity far more powerfully than any additional words could. Even so, he studied her for a moment, and Mira was struck by how grown up he had become in just three years. When had he started to notice these things? When had he learned how to give advice like that?

When did he change?

Apparently, he wasn't thinking the same things about her. Or if he was, he didn't show it. He released her, satisfied, and smiled briefly. "Come on, Alice and the others are waiting!" And just like that, he took off down the hall, running like the twelve year old he had been back then.

Mira stared after him, momentarily surprised by the transformation, before she chuckled. That was Baron; just as quirky as she remembered. "Come on, wait up!" she cried, hurrying after him.

* * *

><p><strong>Dunno where the heck this came from…To be honest, I didn't expect to spend so much time on the politics of Vestal, but hey; comes into play later. I think. I hope. If I do this right, that is.<strong>


	27. Memories

.

**"If you wanna play it like a game**

**Well come on, come on let's play**

**Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending**

**Than have to forget you for one whole minute**

**They've taped over your mouth**

**Scribbled out the truth with their lies**

**Your little spies," Crush Crush Crush, Paramore**

* * *

><p>Rin paced. And paced. And paced.<p>

She turned, still feeling oddly light without her cape, skirt, veil and mask. They were lying scattered about her room, veil and mask on the desk, cape on her bed and skirt balled up in the corner. The room was chilly, but it felt good. She was hot, uncomfortably hot. Her cheeks were flushed and sweat coated her brow. She rubbed at her forehead uncomfortably.

Pausing, she hissed. Her feet were so _sweaty_. She kicked off her boots, freeing her calves and letting the cool air wash over them. But it wasn't enough. Off came her socks, and she returned to pacing.

She knew that pacing probably wasn't helping her stay cool, but the alternative was worse. If she stopped moving, the voice would come back, and her memory would fade. She knew it would. That was what she was afraid of.

If she stopped moving, her doubts would be replaced with that awful, bland false-truth she had been following. It reminded her of something out of a novel she read once, a novel she couldn't remember reading but whose plot screamed at her. The situation she was in reminded her of someone named Winston and something called doublethink.

She knew it was wrong. She could _feel_ it, that feeling of anxious foreboding that comes when you've done something you know you shouldn't. Her shoulders were tense, and her steps quick and practiced. But at the same time, she doubted. It was a _feeling;_ she was hesitant to trust feelings. That was how she'd always been; Mistress Kazarina said so. She always operated on logic and…and realistic ideas.

Or, at least, that's what she'd been told.

So why did it feel natural to act on emotion? Why did she feel better to just be impulsive? Spontaneous? It was so stiff and cumbersome to think every action through, and even though she had 'always done it', it didn't feel right. It didn't feel like she was being true to herself.

_Maybe I sacrificed who I used to be…in order to gain such a high standing here, _she thought, turning on her heel to pace another line. "I never did ask what my family was like," she murmured. "Who my friends were, other than Mister Anubias and Miss Sellon…"

Her thoughts took another turn, one she was familiar with but hated. _Who was that boy?_ The boy with the brown hair, dressed in the red shirt and white pants? The boy with the intense, burning red eyes?

She remembered the shiver that ran up her spine when he turned, one that he apparently felt as well. It was strange; she could have sworn that when his face turned, something glinted. Maybe it was just his eye, catching the sun at just the right angle to reflect some of it's glow back at her. That would be the simple explanation, the one that would shut her mind up about it, but something in her gut told her it was more. That light wasn't _normal_. Maybe it was possible for light to reflect on an eye like that, but it definitely didn't shine with all the colors of the rainbow. Light just didn't _do_ that. She should know—she was a Haos battler.

But even without the weirdness of that light, she knew there was something different about that boy. She felt it with certainty. When she saw him and he saw her, the recognition was instant. She knew him, she _knew_ she knew him. And he felt _so_ important.

There she went with the feelings again! She frowned, turning and continuing to pace. How was she sure the feeling was accurate? It was just a sensation! Sensations lied! Sometimes made you think something was there but turned out to be a trick, like when a loose strand of hair tickled the back of your neck. What if this was just a lie, and she was just chasing shadows?

But on the other hand, what if it was right? What if there really _was_ something more going on here? What if her gut instinct was right?

With a growl of frustration, she threw her hands up in the air. "You know what," she announced to no one in particular, "to hell with logic!"

He was important. Kuso was important.

"Kuso," she murmured, slowing. That was his name, right? Kuso? "Kuso, Kuso…why does that _mean_ something to me?" She blinked, feeling recollection somewhere inside her.

_A boy with brown hair—the boy from before, but somehow…different—was shouting at her, getting all up in her face. "Oh whoopie, a big wheel that goes round and round, what a blast!" _

_A spark of anger ignited within her, and she leaned forward, pushing herself into his personal space, and shouting back at him, "Just because it doesn't go up and down at a hundred miles an hour doesn't mean it won't be fun!"_

_He glared back at her and snapped something back in response, but no sound came out of his mouth. None that Rin could remember._

She stared at her feet as she paced, wondering what that had come from. She knew that voice, knew it well after the previous morning's experience. That was that boy, only…younger. The boy was dressed in red and yellow, and he was wearing sunglasses.

Why did thinking of him bring up a warmth that was not only tolerable, but also…pleasurable?

She moved to tug on a pigtail but discovered only it's phantom image. Her hand closed on empty air. A growl of frustration escaped her. It was useful to have her hair up, especially when she was hot like she was now, but she couldn't satisfy her nervous mannerisms when it was up like this! It was so _irritating_.

"Why do I even want my hair up like this?" she hissed to herself. "I don't even like…it…" She paused, slowing in her pacing. Her hairdo…it felt fake. _She _felt fake. Her hand came up against her bun, and she froze. "I wonder…"

Moving quickly, she darted for the mirror behind the door, yanking her hair out of her bun quickly as she did so. She pulled the two hair ties she used out of it, undid her braid, and yanked her fingers through her now free hair. She forced the knots out of it and tried to ignore the waviness that came from having it pinned in a braid all day. Then, she pulled her hair into pigtails, twisting the ties around expertly. The action was familiar and took absolutely no conscious effort, and before she knew it, her other pigtail was in place.

Rin stared at herself in the mirror, puzzled. The updo was frazzled, but it wasn't fake. There was something comforting about the pull on her scalp where her hair was tight. Turning her head was met with just the right air resistance. This was comfortable. This was _normal._ This was _her_.

She felt the doublethink come over her and try to whisper untruths in her head. The voices were soft at first, insisting that she was Rin and that her loyalties were to the Emperor, to Master Mag Mel. That her name was Rin and that she loved her Mistress Kazarina and Miss Sellon. That she swore undying loyalty to them and her other superiors, Master Gil, Master Airzel, Master Stoica and Mister Anubias. That they were all she had and all she wanted. The voices quickly rose into a crescendo, each one clamoring for her attention and her acknowledgement, to the point where she found herself almost believing them.

She shook her head wildly, struggling to hold on to her previous feeling. The pigtails. Think about the pigtails. It took Rin a moment to realize that she had spoken out loud. She kept speaking. "Come on, come on." There was something about her voice that was familiar, too, and comforting. "You've gotta…remember… Why does everything feel so wrong?" she whimpered, sinking to her knees.

She pressed her hands to her temples and pressed. The voices were deafening. She spoke to drown them out. "Come on, snap out of it," she whispered to herself. "Think…remember… Remember who you were _before!_" The memory from the roof flashed before her.

_A white tiger clad in armor, standing upright was locked in a fierce battle against a royal purple centaur. A dragon roared above, snaking around a humanoid salamander with purple skeleton hands for wings. Blade against blade rang out, and it was hard to believe it might be possible to win._

_She cried out to her Bakugan, but the cry was impossible to decipher now. Her Bakugan roared in response, and the centaur before it gave a loud cry, "Infernal shield!" Her tiger was beaten back, sent sprawling into the dirt with a grunt of pain._

_"They seem to be more powerful than before," exclaimed the floating red dragon._

_"But how can that be?" growled the tiger._

_"Vortex dark flame!" screamed the salamander with wings, opening his maw. A sparking ball of fuchsia flashed purple before sending electric jets of the same neon color spiraling in the dragon's direction. The dragon growled, but retaliated without missing a beat._

_"Boosted ultima!" The attacks met halfway. _

_She had been standing beside that boy in red as electric and fiery winds washed over them. They stared into a brilliant, sparking orb of raw power, strikes of lightning flashing off of it and burning the earth beneath it. They both grunted with the seemingly simple task of remaining upright; the winds were pushing so hard! She felt like just a little more and she would topple over._

_Thankfully, the wind was dying down, and her pigtails fell back to their normal position. They were starting to come out. The day had been long and full of hair-related abuse Her skin was covered in grime and sweat. Her knees and palms were scraped and there was a stinging on her face that probably came from some sort of shrapnel wound._

_The two opponents were still standing, looking absolutely at ease. Their barrage hadn't phased them in the slightest. Meanwhile, the dragon and tiger were wiped; it was obvious the way their shoulders sagged and their chests heaved. This battle wasn't going their way._

_And after that_… Rin flinched, grasping at the memory in desperation. "No, no, I'm so close!" she cried, curling even further in on herself. Her eyes pricked with tears. "After that…" Her voice came out broken and raspy.

It was no use. It wasn't there.

Tears fell from her eyes. No. She was so close. She was so _close_.

The voices started again, hissing, whispering, speaking, shouting, _screaming_. "Bitch!" "Moron!" "Useless!" "You can't do anything right!" "Insult to nature!" "Just give up!" "There's no redemption for you!" "Forget. Forget everything!" "Meaningless!" "You don't deserve to live!" "_Failure_."

She pressed her chest to her knees and her hands against her ears and screamed.

* * *

><p>Her door, unfortunately, did not have the rage-expelling effect of a bang when it opened. Instead, it calmly swished to grant the stunned party entry. The silence from their end spoke volumes more than the slamming of a door could, despite the fact that it couldn't be heard over the intense wailing of the girl on the floor.<p>

The desk in the corner of the room was overturned, the chair lying upside down against the bathroom door. The throw rug that had sat on the floor in the middle of the room had been kicked haphazardly against the bed. Blank papers were strewn everywhere, but the occasional paper with writing on it did appear, like fallen leaves after an early snowfall. The covers on the bed had been yanked off and the mirror beside the door was shattered. In the middle of it all sat Rin, screaming and sobbing and clutching her head as though it were causing her intense pain.

"What in the world?" Stoica exclaimed, appearing more shocked than irritated for once. Kazarina, though, was not as balanced.

"Rin!" she barked. "Explain!"

Rin let out a wail and ripped her shirt over her head, revealing spiderweb like scars that marked where lightning had touched her. She yanked it over her pigtails, balled it up and flung it at the woman. Kazarina sidestepped easily, shoved the group of foot-long metal pipes in her arms into Stoica's hands, and stalked over to the girl. Her face was alight with fury. Rin sobbed, pushed herself onto her back and shuffled backward. She stared up at her mistress in terror as her tears fell even faster, dripping from her chin and staining her with their glitter.

Kazarina's fist closed around her neck. Rin's hands flew up to her wrist, struggling as she grimaced. The witch pulled her to her feet and backhanded her across the face. Rin yelped. The girl flailed for a moment before falling to her side, leaning on the wall for support. She stared up at Kazarina with eyes filled with fear and hatred. Kazarina's temper flared. Another slap rang out, this one hard enough to bruise, and surprisingly, Rin let her head be forced to the side, reeling from the deep stinging in her cheek.

The tickle of warm liquid confused her. A hand lifted to her cheek and came away stained with a red smear. Rin stared in shock. The woman's claws had gotten her, and the whole side of her face was covered in blood.

She lifted her gaze, lips parted, eyes wide, and took in Kazarina's wrathful expression. Her blue skin was pale, reduced to the color of the sky on a winter day with sub-zero temperatures. Her eyes were bloodshot and practically glowing with ire. Rin had never seen her hair look more disheveled, stray strands sticking upward from her ponytail in a frizz. She looked _murderous_, and even more so when she saw Rin's pigtails.

The girl's breaths came in ragged, shaky gasps. Her chest heaved visibly with the only article of clothing on her torso being her bra, and the already suffocating heat became unbearable. Her cheeks flushed and sweat trickled down her back, and her cheek stung more angrily as salt water ran into the cuts. She swallowed hard.

Caught in the act—though what the act was, she had no idea. She knew it was wrong, but didn't know why.

"_What_ do you think you're doing?" Kazarina demanded. Rin imagined a forked tongue slithering out of her mouth. She couldn't find her voice.

Kazarina took a step closer. Rin couldn't move even if she wanted to—her back was against the wall. Her breathing hitched.

The woman moved so quickly Rin had no time to react. Her claws raked against her belly, sending flecks of blood flying. Rin screamed and clutched her stomach, moving to double over but being stopped before she could. Kazarina had her by the throat again, silencing her gasp with a simple squeeze of her hand, and forcing the air out of her lungs with a savage slam against the wall. Rin's hands came up to push against her, but Kazarina was undeterred.

Her free hand ripped the hair ties from the girl's hair, her claws scraping her scalp and coming away bloody. Tears fell down Rin's face, stabbing her facial wounds, and her chest heaved with a unreleased sob. Her lungs felt tight, like a vacuum, and she clawed at the hand pinning her. _Air air airairair!_

"Get a hold of yourself, _Rin_," Kazarina snarled. She shook the girl harshly. "Whatever you're losing your mind over is worth _nothing!_"

Her grip let up enough for Rin to gulp in oxygen, but she didn't completely let go. Rin turned her traumatized gaze to the woman's face, her eyes scared and teary.

"You're pathetic," Kazarina spat.

That was the trigger. Rin felt a huge surge of loathing come over her. She _hated_ this woman! How had she ever found her to be someone she idolized? She was a sick, controlling _bitch_ that didn't treat _anyone_ with even an _ounce_ of respect besides her previous emperor. She worshiped the very ground he walked on without any regard to her own pride. _That_ was 'pathetic'.

The heat beneath her skin intensified, and a high keening sound rose in her head. She grimaced, her back arching, as it sent ice picks driving into her brain. She wasn't even aware that she was screaming until her shoulders were racked with her air-deprived coughs, and then she found herself on the ground.

The pain was gone in an instant, and the heat vanished. She blinked. The keening was gone, too. She was suddenly struck by how cold she was and the strange lack of clothing on her upper body, and she pushed herself onto her hands and knees in confusion.

The room was clearer now, details finally apparent. Someone with gray skin in blue was staring at her from the corner, mouth open in surprise. The girl blinked, then turned her attention to the lady in white. The woman was practically glowing with her anger, and all of a sudden, it all came rushing back to her—Dan's disappearance, Stoica appearing in Bakugan Interspace, Dan's letter, the plane, Joe, her kidnapping, her torturous 'interrogation', battling Ace, and seeing Dan—

Seeing Dan.

Seeing _Dan._

A cocktail of emotions assaulted her at that thought. Dan, who she had fought beside against Naga. Dan, who had been her first kiss. Dan, who had abandoned her. Dan, who had broken up with her.

Dan, her feelings for whom she was unsure of.

"You annoying pest!" Kazarina snarled. _Runo_ rose to her feet, trying to ignore the feeling of foreboding that came with Kazarina's voice but relishing the returned sense of self that came with waking up. She glanced at her before quickly focusing her gaze on Stoica, keeping her peripheral vision trained on Kazarina. She didn't want to fall for her tricks again.

Kazarina had moved back a few feet, but Stoica had moved forward. Neither one of them looked to be in decent spirits—in fact, even Stoica appeared to be growing angry. But Runo forgot about them when Splight popped out on her shoulder.

"Runo, are you okay?" Splight demanded. Runo glanced at him.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"Heads a little foggy, but I'm okay. I think Tigrerra is in worse shape, though." Runo paled, her eyes flicking to the bundle of blankets that was her bed. A bit of golden fabric was visible from this angle—her cape. Mira's cape. There was a secret pocket there that housed a clear plastic box with metal strips running down the edges. Tigrerra's prison.

Rin hadn't known Tigrerra was sentient when she put her in there. She had been told she was a prize won in battle, a Bakugan that belonged to one of the Brawlers. Something she could throw away if she wanted. But Runo knew otherwise.

Guilt hit her like a ton of bricks. She had imprisoned her friend, her best friend, in a plastic box so she couldn't speak to her and tell the truth. She _was_ a failure.

And Mira… Mira! She remembered fighting Ace, and Mira… Mira came running toward her. What happened to her?

"Come here, Runo," Kazarina ordered. Runo glanced at her. The woman's voice was eerily calm and controlled and undoubtedly concealed murderous intentions. Runo dropped her gaze to the red gem on her chest—about eye level for her, considering how tall the Gundalian woman was.

"No."

"You have five seconds."

Runo glared at her, trying to think of a plan. She couldn't just throw down Splight to break apart the building; she didn't know where Dan and the other Vexos were. If she did something recklessly like that, she could injure one of them. And besides, her room was fitted with a security shield that kept Splight and any other Bakugan in ball form. However, that did mean that Kazarina and Stoica couldn't use their Bakugan to one up her, either.

That advantage being out of the question didn't help her much, though. The Gundalians still outnumbered and outgunned her just by being Gundalians. Kazarina stood between her and Stoica, and Stoica between her and the door. Even if she did, by some miracle, make it past Kazarina, Stoica would just shoot her with his lightning before she made it two feet. So running was out of the question.

She was out of options and out of time, and they all knew it. Her eyes turned in terror to Kazarina, whose face had stretched with a mirthless but no less evil grin. "Sleep tight, Runo," she hissed before lifting her hand and sending Runo, screaming, into the dark abyss of unknowing.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, hey. It's July 27th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMPRESSPYRUS! x_x Oh geez. I need sleep. And then I can write what I've been waiting to write for YEARS.<strong>

**Oh. I have, like, four chapters written in advance. You're just not gonna get them for at least 2 weeks between them. Because if I post them all at once and don't actually get other stuff written, well...you won't hear from me for, like, 3 months. So I'm gonna keep doing this.**

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU EMPRESS PYRUS! **

**And to everyone who reviewed: THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL!**

**Anyway, uh, please review? :D :D :D**


	28. INFINITY

**!IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!**

**Alright, so it's looking like updates are going to be posted in two week intervals on Sundays. So, biweekly on Sundays. I have a calendar set up to remind me, and should I run out of chapters written in advance, well, we're all screwed. It's looking like the average is about one every two weeks, so that means I SHOULD always be at least two or three ahead of the game at all times. Alright.**

**However, school is starting in less than a month. This will be my senior year, and I'm taking on a few extra responsibilities. I am now the editor to an E-news letter sponsored by Campus Ministry at my school, which puts me on the Board for that same organization. I have to get twenty five hours of community service done during this year, get my drivers license, apply to colleges, get a job, and do my schoolwork on a regular basis (which I do already, but you know what I mean. I'm taking 3 AP courses; give me a break). In addition, I will be going on college tours throughout the Northeast to figure out which one is right for me. And this month, I have to finish my summer reading.**

**In short, I am going to be extremely busy this year. I am going to try very hard to keep these updates constant, but depending on how full my schedule gets, I may drop updates from every two weeks to every three, or simply one a month. I have to see how it goes and how quickly I burn through the prewritten chapters.**

**HOWEVER!**

**We ARE nearing the end. I estimate another ten to fifteen chapters (going off my current writing style, which seems irritatingly slow but completely necessary) before we reach the end. It SHOULD be, in theory, only eight, but by now, I've realized that what was intended to be only one chapter usually winds up being three. By my original outline, this was supposed to be finished at chapter 22. And now we're on chapter 28 and this event is supposed to be, like, chapter 15.2, which shows you how much I miscalculated with my original outline. Ah, the wonders of writing.**

**ALSO during November, also known as NaNoWriMo, I WILL be attempting to write my own novel. Of course, I've already started it, but my goal is to really crack down on it during that time. I really hope that actually happens, but knowing me (and you all have some sort of idea of my personality by now), that may or may not happen. Updates may be on hiatus during November in order to give me time to focus completely on that. Of course, that is only if Ultimatum isn't finished by then (which I hope to God it is, because I've been writing this for WAY too long haha).**

**Um...I think that's all I wanted to say. Oh, hopefully this makes up for the last chapter, which was pretty short (but important). ALSO: See if you can find symbols and patterns in the coming chapters. You'll make your English teachers proud! And if you have trouble with that sort of thing, go to Barnes and Nobel (or Amazon) and buy the book ****How to Read Literature Like A Professor.**** Trust me, it's a VERY useful book that I wish I had read in Freshman year. It will really help you.**

**Alright. NOW I'm done. Without further ado, here's the story.**

* * *

><p><strong>"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution." <strong>

**― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**

* * *

><p>"So this is Displatis," Keith remarked, looking around the bright landscape. Mira was doing the same, squinting in the sunlight. She shielded her eyes. Beside her were Alice, Keith and Shun, all taking in the different aspects of the land.<p>

The sky was a brilliant azure, the bluest Mira had ever seen. It wasn't as pale as the sky on Earth and was even more vibrant than that of New Vestroia. Here and there a puffy white cotton ball occupied the airspace, lackadaisically drifting toward some distant destination. Mira glanced upward; the sun was high. It was about midday, she realized, and warm breeze ruffled her cape. She sniffed, then smiled.

"It smells so nice," she sighed, closing her eyes.

"Like sweet mint," Alice agreed, sounding just as content.

"It's beautiful here," Wilda commented from her shoulder.

Spread out before them was a long, sloping green field with swaying grass, dancing in the breeze. A few leafy trees stood here and there, shadows pooling at their roots. Purple flowers dotted the grass sparsely, but there were just enough that the splash of color was welcome. Rocks protruded from the ground every so often, as if they were anticipating a traveler's desire to use one as a seat.

Wilda was right; it was beautiful.

"Did Dr. Michael say where the nearest settlement was?" Shun asked, effectively killing the mood. Mira turned back to Alice, who was standing near the back of the group. The redhead was unfolding a piece of paper—it looked like a Post It note—and looked up at the ninja. She tapped her ear, activating the earpiece.

"Grandfather, can you hear me?" she asked tentatively. She paused, frowned, then sighed and pulled the earpiece out of her ear. "The signal's too weak," she declared, turning back to the Post It. "But to answer your question, Shun, I believe it's a few miles from here."

"What direction?"

Alice thought for a moment before pulling out a device that resembled a Vestal communicator. She pulled up the screen, then tapped several invisible keys on the floating screen. She turned to Shun. "Give it a moment to calibrate; it'll know the GPS coordinates as soon as I enter them, but it needs to adjust the compass."

"The compass readings changed?" Mira asked.

"Well, no, not really," Alice explained. "You see, each planet has a different magnetic field, so North is different on each planet. North isn't even a fixed point; it isn't on any planet, since the magnetic field is constantly changing. It's kinda complicated. Give it a minute and then we can start moving."

The group waited for about two minutes before the device beeped and the image of a compass appeared. Alice glanced to the left, then pointed. "That way is North, for our purposes. Now…" She opened a few different screens, then consulted her Post It and started tapping numbers on the keypad. It calculated for a few seconds, and then a map appeared.

The group gathered close, Shun peering over her shoulder for a good look. Even though everyone was looking at the screen themselves, Alice spoke out loud. "It's about four miles to the East."

Shun nodded, then disappeared. The group blinked, startled, but not really surprised. Alice sighed, then tucked the device back into the pocket of her dress. She adjusted her knitted purple poncho, then took a step toward their destination.

"Time to get going," Keith said, following. Mira nodded, clenched her fist, and steeled herself. This was where Mylene was. She was going to see her again.

_I wonder how she'll react. Will she be happy or just tell us to leave?_

Keith wrapped his arm around her shoulder, apparently guessing her train of thought. Mira kept her gaze to the ground, and to anyone else it might have looked like she was just trying to figure out where to place her feet, but Keith knew her habits well enough to recognize her brooding. "Don't worry about what she'll say," he said quietly. "It'll all work out."

The childish response fell from her lips before she could stop it. "Promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

><p><em>The darkness was suffocating, just like it always was. But even though Dan had been through this vision a million times, he couldn't convince his unconscious self to acknowledge it.<em>

_He was running, running. He was always running. The malevolent presence was behind him, gaining. And then it was in front of him, and Dan skidded to a halt. He yelped, whirled around, and sprinted in the other direction._

_Sweat coursed down his face. His throat burned. He swallowed painfully, then continued gasping for air. It was hot and fetid, humid and nauseating. The rank odor clung to his nostrils like a leech, and he wasn't sure if it was the lack of air causing his dizziness or the smell._

_The invisible ground beneath his feet was warm and sticky, like spilled juice on a hot summer day. He tried not to think of the possible substances beneath his toes._

_A low rumble started behind him, soon encompassing him. He felt it in his chest. Grimacing, he pushed himself. Farther, farther; he had to go farther. Farther into the red-black expanse before him. He had to escape, had to run, had to go—_

_Had to—had to—_

_Dan slowed, confused. What did he have to do? The darkness was fading, cut by a brilliant light. A brilliant light made of a million colors, as if it were shining through a prism. He stared, transfixed, as the vision shriveled and burned away, vanishing like ash in the wind. He was standing, instead, in the middle of a peaceful field. The wind was buffeting the long grass all around him, but it was a welcome change. The air was fresh and clean, and he drank it in eagerly._

_That's when the white dragon appeared._

_"Greetings, Dan," a throaty, feminine voice said._

_"Wa..Wavern?" he blinked, confused. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Dan, please, listen. You are going to wake up in a moment, and I need you to do exactly as I say. Please, Dan, you don't have a lot of time." Dan stared, unsure of what to say. Memories returned to him, and he remembered where he was in reality. He blinked and shook his head vigorously, trying to dislodge the cobwebs of his confusion. She took his silence as an invitation to continue. "I have used some of my remaining power over the Perfect Core to short out the lock on your door. You should be able to open it and get out. However," she said sharply, noticing the look of eagerness on Dan's face, "escape will not be as easy as you think. You must return for your friends. You _must_."_

_"Like I'd leave them behind!" Dan cried, beginning to understand that this really was Wavern. This wasn't just another vision; this was Wavern. "There's no way I'd leave them here at the mercy of these psychos!"_

_"That's what I want to hear." He could hear the smile in her voice._

_"I can get the Vexos easily enough," Dan said, turning the situation over in his head, "but where's Joe? And where's the other thing they took?"_

_"You need not worry about the Vexos," Wavern assured him. Dan blinked. "That escape opportunity they were offered—that's going on _now_."_

_"Now?!"_

_"Yes. That is where you must go; you must join them."_

_"But, wait, where's Joe, then?" Dan demanded, starting to panic._

_"You know where he is. It's the only other room you know here." Dan paled, realizing what she meant. Her dark eyes narrowed. "I am sorry; I realize that this will be difficult."_

_"No, it's fine," he shook his head. "If it means he get's out safe, then it's fine. What about the other—"_

_"Focus on Joe, Dan," Wavern interrupted. "Do not worry; he is unguarded. Your other companion will reveal herself to you. Hurry; you have no time to waste!"_

His eyes shot open; he bolted upright. Gasping for breath, Dan took in the room around him. He was awake.

_Joe_. Dan leapt to his feet, staggering immediately from the pain. His back was on fire, his arm pulsing with infection. He forced the fingers on his left hand to relax, relieving some of his pressure and agony. Even so, the glass beneath his bandage sent needles of discomfort up his arm. It felt like the burn along his jaw was constricting the bone itself, and the bruises on his torso and arms ached, but he forced it from his mind. Joe was more important.

Dan grimaced, groaned, but darted to the door. He threw out his hand, prepared to push against it, then gasped and skidded to a halt. "What the—" he gasped, staring at the back of his hand. It was _glowing_. There was a golden, glowing circle there, floating just above his skin. He stared, transfixed. "What in the world…?"

_Dan, you need to focus! _Dan jolted, and the glowing circle vanished.

"Wavern?" he asked, startled.

_Yes,_ she replied, her voice urgent. _You must hurry; do not forget what is at stake!_

Dan shook his head to clear it, then nodded. This wasn't important right now; he'd deal with it later. He pushed against the door, tentatively at first, then more forcefully. It gave.

He stepped outside cautiously, peering this way and that in search of guards. He wasn't sure if Barodius had his room guarded or if he was simply kept under lock and key, but he didn't really want to risk being found right now.

Satisfied that he was alone, he stepped into the hall. "Which way was it…?" he murmured, glancing from left to right. The memory came to him easily enough(frighteningly easily enough), and, steeling himself, he began his dash toward that hellish room.

Each step, each slap of his foot against the floor sent shockwaves of pain throughout his body. The whip lashes on the backs of his calves stabbed him each time his foot made contact with the freezing metal beneath it, almost as though a tiger was constantly raking it's claws down his legs. Each pump of his arms caused the mutilated skin of his back to crease and then stretch, tearing open scabbed-over flesh. He was being stabbed a million times in already tender places. Blood trickled down, causing a sensation caught horribly between a tickle and a searing sting.

Trying to shut it out was nearly impossible; he couldn't stop his eyes from tearing up. He winced, his breaths ragged, and instead resolved to run awkwardly, with his arms held stiffly at his sides. He had to keep his left forearm uncomfortably relaxed, otherwise the constricting feeling got worse than it already was. It wasn't ideal, but it spared him some pain. Enough, at least, for him to think clearly.

"Left here," he muttered, rounding the corner easily. His feet nearly slipped out from under him, but he caught himself easily, eliciting only a gasp for his troubles. _You know, _he thought wryly, _as useful as that uniform was, putting shoes in the uniform itself was a pretty stupid idea. Next time I see Elright, I am _so_ giving him a piece of my mind…_

Briefly, he considered the fact that the commander of the Nethian forces had once been detained much like himself, but forced the thought away. No, better not to return to that negative train of thought. It wouldn't bring about anything but brooding, and any lapse of concentration he had a feeling he'd regret.

He slowed, recognizing the area he was in. _Shit, how'd I get here so fast?_ He was already standing before the door, the one he had grown to despise. The door that wouldn't open unless Sellon or one of the others touched the panel beside it. The door that separated him from that wretched electric pen.

The door itself was unassuming, made of the same lackluster metal as the rest of the facility. It blended in well, without even a doorknob to announce it's presence. It was a sliding door, like the ones he frequently encountered in supermarkets. The only indication it was even there was the black trim lining it and the panel beside it. Easy to miss if one wasn't looking for it. Or lacked hellish memories of it. Dan shivered.

His eyes, out of habit, were drawn to the red stain on the wall at about eye level. His right fist clenched in response to his disgust. They hadn't even bothered to clean it off, even though it had been almost two weeks since the incident! The handprint still stood out like a sore thumb, obnoxious and painful. At least, it was a painful thought to him; his captors probably found it amusing, as sadistic as they were.

Growling, Dan turned his attention to the panel beside the door. He gave it a once over, not even bothering to touch it. Stoica had already explained what would happen if someone lacking the necessary DNA to unlock it attempted to enter, and while Dan had tried to tune him out (under the premise that he would never want to break into the room in the first place), his disturbingly gleeful words had stuck with him. _"At first, it'll just feel numb, almost like your hand has fallen asleep. And then, you'll smell something strange. Kinda like meat cooking in a frying pan!"_ He had taken the opportunity to cackle like a madman while Dan tried to wipe the look of disgust off of his face. _"And then you'll realize you're smelling burning flesh, and that the palm of your hand has been turned into a hamburger!"_

Dan was fairly certain that was the reason they decided to give him a 'decent' meal that evening. If 'decent' meant hamburger meat that looked like it had been dropped in a brick oven and left there for several hours.

So, touching it was out of the question. A quick glance around the hall quickly revealed that there was nothing he could use to break the thing, not unless he was willing to get himself electrocuted ripping a lamp off the wall. This was just great.

"Uh, Wavern?" he muttered. "Any ideas?"

It was silent for a moment, and Dan was beginning to think Wavern had departed when she finally did speak. …S_tand back._ Dan did as he was told, hardly needing any encouragement to back away from the door, but curious as to what she was about to do.

_The farther I get from this place, the happier I'll be,_ he thought wryly.

He was saved from further mind-wandering when a shower of sparks erupted from the panel and he jumped a foot in the air. It took him a moment to realize that the sound of electricity popping wasn't of Kazarina's lightning, rather electrical components shorting out. Dan sighed in relief, shook his head as hard as he could, and steeled himself. The door was opening.

Dan hissed in anger when he saw the state Joe was in and wasted no time in rushing to his side. "Joe!" he exclaimed, stopping just short of the metal chair he was pinned to. The teen didn't acknowledge him. Dan snarled. _Going after me is one thing. They didn't need to bring him into this!_

The Gundalians hadn't decided to restrain his head, so it hung limply above his chest. Dan couldn't tell if it was the harsh white light from the ceiling reflecting on the metal cuffs that made Joe's forearms look blue or if they were actually bruised, but the angry red puffiness and smears told blatantly of the lacerations the cuffs concealed. Upon shaking his shoulder in an attempt to rouse him, his head lolled back, revealing not only raccoon-like bruises beneath his eyes, but also blood red burns along his jaw, a small line jutting up from the center of each side to travel up onto his cheek. The adjacent burn on Dan's face—the one that only lined one half of his jaw—burned with the realization. They were doing the same things to him as they did to Dan.

But why? Why were they doing this to him? He didn't do anything to them! And even if he had, that didn't make it okay! How could anyone be okay with this kind of suffering? Were the Gundalians really such a heartless people that causing pain to another was inconsequential?

"Joe," Dan tried again more urgently, jerking his shoulder. A small groan escaped the unconscious teen, but then, his eyes opened a slit. He blinked, then seemed to realize who was standing in front of him.

"Wha…?" he mumbled, his speech slightly distorted, as though he had a fat lip. He did. "Dan…?"

"Hey," Dan said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I walked into a puddle touching a live wire," Joe replied groggily, "and then got hit by a truck." He made a face, sticking his tongue out a few times. "You wouldn't happen to have any water, would you?"

Dan smiled apologetically. "Sorry, fresh outta that, buddy." Joe chuckled, but Dan didn't miss the slightly gaunt quality in his eyes. His laughter faded quickly. The slight mirth was short lived and hollow. It felt fake.

"What are you doing here?" Joe asked, concerned. He cleared his throat. "If the Gundalians catch you—"

"Doesn't matter," Dan cut him off. "Remember how they said the others would have a chance to escape?" Joe frowned, but nodded. "That's happening _now._ We gotta go."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?" Joe demanded. "Get out of here; it's you they want!"

"I'm not leaving here without you or the others," Dan said stubbornly, taking hold of the cuffs with his fingertips. Joe winced, but Dan pretended not to notice. He set about attempting to bend them open.

"Dan, once you get out of here, they'd have no cause to keep us," Joe shot back. "They'd let us go!"

"Pfft, like hell they would," Dan scoffed, adjusting his grip. This was harder than he thought it would be, and his arm felt like someone was tying a tourniquet around it in three different places. "Kazarina would sooner use you in an experiment than let you go."

"Experiment?"

"You do not want to know." Dan frowned, giving up on using his fingers. He glanced around the room, taking in the unused (as far as he knew) needles on the cart and the accursed electrocautery atop a bloodied cloth. He failed to suppress a shudder, but Joe didn't say anything about it.

"Dan, you can't get me out," Joe protested. "Just leave me; I can get out by myself, trust me."

"I'm not leaving you." He made his way over to the cart, briefly wondering if there was some sort of key to unlock the chair. "And no offense," he continued, raising an eyebrow as he lifted the cloths, "I don't think you can get out of there without using your hands, considering the fact that _they are bolted to the chair_." He checked every shelf, and even moved around chemicals, but to no avail. No key.

He was beginning to consider using one of the metal plungers from the syringes to beat the cuffs with when Wavern decided to speak again. Her voice came as such a surprise that Dan jumped so hard he knocked over a few of the syringes, sending them to the floor where they shattered.

_Joe, if ever there were a time that warranted the use of the Wavelength, it would be now._

"But Wavern—"

"You can hear her, too?" Dan asked. He turned to face his friend, who was staring back at him with wide eyes.

"_You_ can hear her?" Joe repeated, astonished. He stared at Dan in wonder, looking for the life of him as though he were unsure of what to say. Ultimately, Wavern spared him from an explanation.

_Joe, quickly. You know I cannot remain here for long. I have used up too much of my energy as it is._

"But you said to use it only for emergencies," Joe protested again.

_Joe, this _is_ an emergency!_ Wavern said sharply. _Please, Joe. _He hesitated, seeming to weigh the options in his mind. Dan watched him in confusion.

"…What is she talking about?" he questioned. Joe sighed.

"Alright, Wavern," he relented. "But you have to take care of yourself for a change! Head back to the Perfect Core and replenish your energy. Drago will kill me if something happens to you."

At first, Dan wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but as it grew more intense, he realized it was actually happening. A bright light was enveloping Joe's body, one similar to that which covered the Gundalians and the Nethians when they changed to and from their human forms. He squinted at first, but his eyes opened wide when Joe stood up, lifting his hands away from the armrests. Dan gasped, jumping, and then started again. The fire on his back had eased, and his arm and wrists hurt less. Joe stepped away from the chair with ease, and then the glow died down, revealing a rejuvenated-looking Joe. The swelling on his lip had gone down, his black eyes had vanished, and even the burns on his jaw had disappeared.

While Dan gaped at him, Joe lifted a wrist to his face, then gave a small smile. The cuts were gone. Dan glanced at his own wrists and over his shoulder; the cuts on his wrists were still there, but had scabbed over. The lashes on his back had done the same. Only the fern-like lightning scars from the times Gill and Kazarina hit him with them and the pulsing (though less intense) beneath his bandages remained. His jaw fell open.

"Okay, what just happened?" Dan demanded. Joe's grin fell away, replaced with a look of slight guilt.

"Uh…"

_Joe, can you handle things from here on out?_ Wavern stepped in again. A brief look of relief crossed Joe's face, and he hurried to answer.

"Yes, we'll be fine. Tell Drago that Dan is fine," Joe said. "We'll be home soon."

_Be safe, Joe._

"You, too, Wavern,"

It's funny how you only notice certain things until they're gone, like the warmth of a room, or the comfort of your bed. That was how Dan felt when he realize Wavern had departed. A warmth that had permeated the room suddenly vanished, and it became cold and unfriendly. The needles all of a sudden looked sharper, the alcohol on the cart more painful, and the electrocautery more deadly. A sudden feeling of fear pierced the dark brunette upon seeing the dreaded thing, and the smell suddenly registered with his nostrils. Sharp and uninviting as a laboratory, a scent filled with acrid chemicals. The echo of the crack of Sellon's whip assaulted his ears, and he flinched unconsciously.

"Dan?" Joe asked, cutting through Dan's panic attack. Dan blinked. Joe was staring at him in concern. "You just got really pale. Are you okay?"

"F-fine," Dan lied shakily, struggling to bring himself back to the moment. If this went right, then he wouldn't have to set foot in this room again.

That was when he remembered what Joe had just done. His surprise must have shown on his face, because Joe flashed a nervous smile. "How about I explain while we get out of here?" he suggested.

"That sounds like a plan."

They walked in silence for a moment, Joe leading the way. He, unlike Dan, seemed to know exactly where he was going, but Dan wasn't as concerned with his directional capabilities as he was with his seeming ability to phase through objects. And wind up healing both of them in the process.

Just as Dan was about to open his mouth to question Joe about it again, Joe began his explanation. "You remember when we first met? When I was in the hospital?"

"And you passed out in the middle of our battle? That's a tough memory to shake."

"Heh, sorry 'bout that," Joe chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and grimacing in sympathy. "What did the doctor tell you guys happened again?"

"Low blood sugar…" Joe frowned, looking pensive.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say that's not what actually happened," Dan said cautiously. Joe glanced at him with a nervous smile.

"Well, it was along those lines but…it was a bit more serious…" He didn't say anything for a moment, apparently hesitating. They rounded a corner, coming into a hallway that was paneled differently than those surrounding it. Dan recognized the charred white walls from when Anubias and Sellon paraded him around the facility the first time, but, judging from Joe's puzzled—and somewhat startled—reaction, he hadn't seen it before.

"Uh…I've been meaning to ask…who—or what— runs this place…?" Joe questioned nervously. His eyes darted around suspiciously.

"Mylene said that it's an abandoned resort building or something, off on the outskirts of the largest Vestal city…" Dan said slowly. "It hasn't been used for a few years." He raised an eyebrow at his friend before moving to investigate a pile of rubble. "Why are you freaking out?"

"Just…tell me you've never seen a white cylinder with a laser beam that asks who you are before filling you with bullets."

Dan looked up from his debris searching and just stared at him.

"Uh, what?"

Joe tried again, all while scanning the walls dubiously. "You've never seen a turret? Or seen writing on the walls that says 'the cake is a lie' or pictures of cubes with hearts and wings? Or encountered a power-mad AI intent on brutally murdering you with neurotoxin?"

"Dude, did the electricity fry your brain or something?" He scanned Joe's arms and noticed the same intricate, body-art like scars running over his skin as his own. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Joe stared for a brief moment, shook himself, and then laughed nervously. "You've never played _Portal_, have you? It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Uh…okay…?"

Dan found an aluminum two-by-four that was relatively intact; one end of it looked as though it had been broken by a giant thinking it was a toothpick, but it was large enough to be used as a weapon if it came down to it.

They continued down the hall, Joe glancing around like he was expecting someone to shoot him all the while. Dan sincerely hoped that Joe was still mentally sound, because he did not want to go confront the Gundalians with a paranoid schizophrenic mumbling about cake and boxes with hearts, even if he did have a two by four.

Thankfully, Joe saved him from further derailing that train of thought by launching back into his explanation of intangibility. "My mom didn't say why I was in the hospital either, did she?" He sounded almost…disappointed. Dan shook his head, watching him with a raised eyebrow. What was he hiding?

Joe sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Well…I guess she wouldn't want to talk about it too much. It's not exactly a fun topic."

"Joe, will you please stop beating around the bush and tell me what the heck is going on?"

Joe sighed. "Right. Well, when I was nine, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, which really isn't much of a problem with today's level of medical understanding. You know about diabetes, right?"

"Uh…not much, no. I think my cousin has it, but I never talked to her about it."

"Well, do you know what diabetes is, right?" Dan looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Isn't that when you can't eat sugar or you die or something?"Joe deadpanned.

"Okay, I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dan asked indignantly.

"Well, you always struck me as the kid who'd sleep in class…"

"The last time I attended school for a full year was Freshman year, Joe."

"Isn't biology required for Freshmen?"

"Not at Wardington High," Dan smirked.

"You might wanna get your facts straight. I went to Wardington High, too," Joe snickered. "But anyway, diabetes is when your body doesn't respond to insulin the right way. Either you don't make enough, or you have insulin resistance. I didn't make insulin.

"When you met me, I was in the hospital because of my diabetes. I had a bunch of other problems first and they wanted me there for observation for a while, so I was kinda stuck while they did their tests. Then you showed up." Joe smiled fondly at the memory. He led them around a corner.

"I passed out that day because my blood sugar was dangerously low. I didn't eat breakfast. Or lunch. I wasn't hungry. But when I was unconscious, I had that vision of Wavern."

"That one that made us start trying to make Drago the Ultimate Bakugan?"

"Yeah," Joe confirmed. His expression then darkened into a look Dan was so unused to seeing that his eyes widened in surprise. "Later on, though, Wavern told me that I wasn't supposed to wake up."

Dan was silent, speechless. Joe continued.

"I mean, it was kinda stupid of me. I hadn't eaten for almost a day, and that can be really dangerous for a diabetic. So I was in a diabetic coma. And that night, Wavern came to me in my dream, and she saved me." He pressed a hand to his chest. "Because she was my Guardian Bakugan, I was exposed to the positive energy of the Infinity Core a lot more often than anyone else. And since the Infinity Core gave life to everything in it's vicinity, it gave life to me. It didn't just wake me up from my coma, it completely cured me of my diabetes."

"Seriously?" Dan exclaimed. His eyes were the size of tennis balls, the white for once overshadowing the red. Joe nodded and smiled.

"Yeah. The doctors couldn't explain it. I think a few of them wanted to experiment on me, since diabetes doesn't normally vanish out of thin air. But that's not the best part." Joe stopped walking, grinning. He grabbed Dan's scabbed-over wrists, eliciting a gasp of pain from his friend and causing the wounds to reopen again. He dropped the two by four with a clatter. Joe grimaced in sympathy. "Ah, sorry. But trust me, this is worth it."

Joe closed his eyes, took a deep breath in through his nose, and then slowly let it out. Dan watched curiously, trying to ignore the slight feeling of awkwardness the more he thought about how Joe was holding onto him. But all of that vanished when a dim glow began to shine between Joe's fingers. After a moment, it faded, and Joe looked up. He smiled as he pulled his hands back, revealing unblemished skin where bloody welts had once been.

Dan's jaw dropped. He yanked his hands back in surprise, eagerly scrutinizing the miraculously healed tissue. Not even a scar remained! He looked up, mouth agape, into Joe's grinning face.

"Wha—how—?"

Joe laughed. "Wavern and I call it the Infinity Wavelength." He started walking again, as if it wasn't a big deal at all. To him, it seemed, it wasn't. Dan snatched up the two by four and stumbled in his effort to keep up.

"But—but how?"

"I was exposed to the Infinity Core a lot more than the rest of you," Joe explained. "Sometimes, Wavern would have these…episodes…where she couldn't control it's power. Because I was there, my body absorbed it, like when you're exposed to radiation."

Dan gave him a blank stare. Joe sighed.

"Okay, like a sponge, then. So whenever she lost control or Naga tried to pull on it and she had to struggle to hold on, my body drew the life energy in. I absorbed enough to create a sort of generator within my body."

"What do you mean?"

"Um…well, it doesn't generate new energy, per se. It kinda just replenishes the amount I absorbed. So if I expend it, it, over time, comes back. I don't know exactly how it works. Wavern says it has something to do with life energy and stuff that reminds me of those New Age nuts." Dan chuckled and Joe grinned.

"So, what sort of things can you do?" Dan asked, intrigued. Joe thought for a moment, glancing at a few unlabeled doors.

"I can heal minor injuries," he started, tapping a finger on his chin. "My senses are a bit more powerful than most people's. And I can phase through small objects. Thin walls, handcuffs, stuff like that. And I can make myself invisible." Again, Dan's jaw dropped. Joe backtracked. "Only for very short amounts of time, though. Very, very short. Thirty seconds, at most."

"That's insane!" his companion exclaimed. "When did you figure all this out?"

"A little after the final battle with Naga," he replied. They rounded another corner. "Alice invited me to her home in Russia, since she and Dr. Michael were doing some tests to see if Masquerade and Hal-G still existed inside of them."

"Wait, why'd they invite you?"

"They figured that since they'd been exposed to the Silent Core and it changed them, maybe the Infinity Core had done the same to me," Joe answered. "I'm not going to go into the science of it, since it's kinda confusing, but in the end, we figured out what I just told you. And that I can only use it in spurts. I have to let it recharge between major uses, since otherwise it'll burn out and I won't be able to use it at all."

They had reached the end of the hallway. Joe stopped abruptly and when Dan started to round the corner, he grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Dan gasped in surprise. He stumbled backward as Joe covered his mouth with his hand, holding a finger to his lips and glancing at him urgently.

Dan narrowed his eyes at him, confused, as Joe retracted his hand. He tapped his ear, then glanced pointedly at the hall in front of them. Dan frowned and followed his gaze, moving quickly and quietly as Joe signaled for him to move to the edge of the hall.

Both boys peered around the corner cautiously, but Dan was the one that had no idea what to expect. His eyes bulged when he caught sight of Mylene and the others walking between Sellon, Kazarina and Anubias, Anubias at the back and the two women at the front. All of their hands were bound behind their backs with plastic ties, just like Dan's had been. The prisoners held their heads up high, undoubtably refusing to give their captors the satisfaction of seeing how this wounded their pride. If Dan didn't know any better, he'd say that Mylene was some foreign dignitary being led to her execution from the way the blue fire in her eyes danced.

He couldn't stop a shudder.

Lync was the one last in the order, and it was at that moment that said pink-haired Vestal stumbled, letting out a startled, half-muffled cry. He fell to the ground, unable to catch himself. From his vantage point, Dan couldn't see his face, but he was sure Lync was looking ticked. The fallen teen let out another sharp cry of pain when Anubias' foot connected with his stomach. Joe clamped his hand firmly around Dan's mouth again just as he was opening it to start yelling.

"Shhh!" Joe hissed. He wrapped an arm securely around Dan's torso, holding him in place in case. He knew Dan wouldn't think twice about going to help the Vestals.

"Keep up," the Gundalian growled. He leaned down and yanked Lync to his feet. This time, the Vestal was silent, opting instead to glare viciously at Anubias. Anubias seized his shirt, allowing Dan and Joe to see Lync's face. Such hatred flared in his cerulean eyes it was almost tangible, even from the boys' distance. "Got a problem?" he demanded.

Lync spat in his face.

Anubias's fist connected so hard that Lync's head snapped to the side audibly. Dan jerked against Joe's grip in rage. He held tighter.

"Lync!" Mylene and Volt cried, whirling around to check on their friend. Sellon's whip cracked and Mylene cried out, stumbling.

"Mylene!" Shadow exclaimed. He hissed, turning to Sellon. "Damn you! The hell'd you do that for?" She just smirked at him, brandishing her whip threateningly. He growled, advancing, but before he could get very far, Mylene ducked in front of him.

"Knock it off; they're not worth it," she growled. Blood ran down her cheek from the cut just beneath her eye.

"Tch," Shadow grunted, but left it. Lync got to his feet begrudgingly, his lip already starting to swell. He spat out a mouthful of blood with a murderous expression, lifted his head, and turned to face Kazarina. She was watching the excursion with amusement.

Dan wanted to kill her.

The group started walking again, but when Anubias pushed Lync, he didn't fall this time. "Come on, let's follow them," Joe hissed when they rounded a corner up ahead. He let go of Dan and ducked out from their hiding spot. He silently darted down the hall in pursuit. Dan followed.

They tailed the group quietly, always staying a hallway behind, with Joe leading the way. He didn't say a word to Dan for the whole rest of the way, instead giving silent commands to keep quiet and move faster or slower depending on the hall. Dan complied tensely. His grip on the two by four was dangerously tight. Eventually, Joe lifted an arm to stop him. They were in the middle of a hallway this time, a large doorway beside them. Joe stopped him just before this aperture, giving him a warning glance. He beckoned him close, then leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"They're waiting in that room."

"Why?" Joe shrugged, then peered around the corner. Dan sank to a squat and did the same, taking in the scene before him.

The room was huge; far larger than Dan expected. The ceiling had to have been at least sixty feet off the ground, made up of metal rafters. Various air vents and pipes hung unhidden above, as though this were a boiler room of some sort. It kind of reminded Dan of the school gym at Wardington High School.

But the confusing thing was not the ceiling, but what laid forty feet from the entrance. It was a long metal wall that spanned the length of the room, but didn't reach the ceiling. A little to the left of the center was a podium of sorts, something that looked oddly similar to the spherical control panel of Kazarina's when Dan was held prisoner there. His lips puckered as if he tasted something sour. He didn't want to revisit the memory.

Anubias and Sellon had disappeared, replaced by someone else. A humanoid figure standing beside the panel caught Dan's attention. He frowned, then blinked in recognition. It was the girl from the other night, fully decked out in her veil, cape, mask and tiara. Her eyes were golden and had a hesitant harshness to them, something that rubbed Dan the wrong way and puzzled him at the same time. Was this a Gundalian girl in disguise or a human enslaved to Kazarina through hypnosis? And why did she look familiar…?

_"Dan, we have taken two important things from you," Airzel said. "Joe here is one of them. The other is not your immediate concern."_

Dan's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The girl—that blue tint beneath her veil—it couldn't be—

_"Your other companion will reveal herself to you."_

Joe's hand clamped over his mouth just in time, but Dan's mind was still reeling, so he didn't much care.

_Runo?_

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I did just do that. It's a wonder you people haven't burned me at the stake yet. <strong>

**Wow, long chapter. Eesh. Dan wants to brood, but I don't want him to brood, and meh, it's just frustrating because he doesn't want to work with me. Anyway. More next time!**

**Review!**


	29. Luck

**Okay, apparently Fanfiction just wants to mess with me, because I checked this chapter after I uploaded it and the coding was all messed up. Sorry to everyone who got an email and then discovered that the chapter had been deleted; it SHOULD be fixed now. If not, well, I apologize again (and this message will have no purpose because no one will be able to read it).**

**Oh, and to GoldenPiggy, nope, we're not QUITE at the climax yet. Oh, no. But it IS approaching. And I think I, again, underestimated the number of remaining chapters. Oi vey. This will go on for a while yet xD**

**Anyway, here we go! Please keep you hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times, as I will not take responsibility for stray lightning bolts that may or may not impact the audience. **

**You have been warned.**

* * *

><p><strong>"And now we are graduating from the school for cool; play it stupid, play it dumb, play 'em all like fools,"<strong>

**—****Hell Yeah, Midnight Red**

* * *

><p>Mylene was sure to hold her head up high. There was no way she was going to give the wretched Gundalians the satisfaction of seeing how she really felt. She purposely avoided looking at Runo—or Rin, as that witch seemed to call her. She knew doing so would just make her mad, and she would lose her composure if she got mad.<p>

The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the Bakugan Interspace incident.

So she settled for glaring at a spot on the giant metal wall before her, well above Kazarina's head. At this rate, she was going to bore holes in it. That would be one thing Shadow would never let her forget. If they got out of this alive, that is.

"Listen carefully, Vestals, because I am not going to waste my breath repeating myself," Kazarina said snappishly. Out of the corner of her eye, Mylene could see the Gundalian's gaunt, pale face. She could tell that the woman was tired and irritated. Why, she couldn't fathom to guess. But hey, if the witch was suffering, Mylene supposed she didn't much care why; she probably deserved whatever nuisance that dared cross her path. And with the stinging stickiness on her cheek reminding her of her hatred for the captors, she was hoping that whatever it was would either get her killed or seriously injured.

Or maimed. Maiming worked, too.

"You will be given three hours to make your way to the exit and not a second more. If you dawdle because you think petty heart-to-heart's are worth your while, which seems to be customary of anyone allied with the Brawlers, don't come crying to me when you find yourself on the receiving end of one of my experiments. Understand?"

Sid was standing next to Mylene, and she felt him tense. Sneaking a quick glance at him, she noticed that the blood had drained from his face. Her frown deepened, and she returned her eyes to their previous subject, only to discover that her reference point had moved.

A brief moment of searching revealed Rin to be at the end of the line of prisoners. Her golden eyes were focused on Lync, who stood the farthest from Mylene, with a sharp glint of disdain. Her lip was curled as if she were a princess asked to do muck out the royal stables. Mylene briefly entertained that thought, skillfully hiding a smirk at the idea of Rin 'suffering' such a task, but turned back to the situation at hand when the girl ducked behind Lync.

The boy tensed and he jerked when her hand came down on his shoulder, nearly causing him to stumble. He grimaced briefly, hissing, and then blinked in surprise. He brought his hands forward, and that was when Mylene realized that Rin had cut away the plastic tie keeping his hands bound behind him.

Kazarina had begun pacing down the row, glaring at each of the former Vexos in turn. She began to speak once more, and Mylene narrowed her eyes to slits as she listened grudgingly. "To clarify, if you don't make it out within the allotted time, you _will _have a long future of assisting me in my experiments ahead of you." She smirked at Mylene, who seethed silently, but held her tongue. "If you manage to make it out, marvelous. Enjoy the walk back to town. I'm sure you'll find it to be pleasant."

Something about that statement didn't sound right to Mylene, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. Rin had reached Shadow, three allies away from Mylene. Absently, she hoped he would have enough sense not to try to hold the girl hostage or something. The last time the duo had tried something like that, they wound up here. Of course, the first time had been her fault, but she wouldn't put it past him to do something idiotic like that.

Kazarina turned on her heel and walked dramatically over to what seemed to be a metal control panel. Once she got there, she typed in a series of commands, glancing once or twice at the white Bakugan floating above it. She smirked at it, then glanced at Mylene, casting that same sadistic grin her way. Mylene glared daggers back. She was going to kill that woman when she got out of here, and she was going to do it in the slowest, most painful way possible.

Sid tensed again, then grunted and brought his own hands forward, rubbing his wrists. He glanced behind him agitatedly, clearly not fond of the petite bluenette who freed him. Mylene recalled how he returned to them last week, barely able to stand on his own, having been savagely beaten in a brawl against none other than Rin. He still had scratches on his face, one of which was being held together by stitches Mylene hadn't used anesthesia to apply. His resentment was understandable.

Mylene glared at the giant door in front of her, then felt Rin's cold hands grab her forearm. She ignored the pressure exacted on the zip tie and yanked her arms out of the girl's hands as soon as she was able. She shot a murderous glare over her shoulder, which Rin returned immediately.

"Hmph," Mylene grunted, turning forward again and adjusting her cape smugly. Rin snorted.

"So what wonderful surprise do you have in store for us?" Hydron questioned cooly. If he was nervous, his voice didn't give it away.

But Kazarina, of course, saw right through his act, and shot him a sneer. "My my, someone seems edgy. Getting a little restless, are we?" The air behind Mylene seemed to chill, and the hairs on the back of her neck raised. She stiffened and glanced behind her, breathing in sharply as she fought to stifle a shiver.

There was nothing there.

Kazarina caught on immediately, shooting her a positively _evil_ grin that sent chills up Mylene's spine for an entirely different reason. Not that she would ever admit it.

"Not quite as calm and collected as you claim to be, are you, Mylene?"

The name felt wrong on her lips, perverted somehow. A vile writhing feeling twisted through her gut at the sound. Mylene refused to show her discomfort and kept her gaze icy, fixing the blue-skinned woman with a furious glare that would send anyone else flying in the other direction. She kept silent, allowing her eyes to speak for her tongue.

Unfortunately, Kazarina was about as intimidated as a riot-trained German Shepherd facing a five year old with a temper tantrum. She sneered, then returned to tapping buttons on her control panel, purposely ignoring Hydron's question.

A few more taps and a grinding sound later, the group was surprised to discover a large portion of the wall before them lifting off the ground. Behind it lay a hallway of large wooden crates, gaps between some of them indicating additional paths. Each side of the hall was just as tall as the first wall, preventing looking to the sides for the answers. Nope, the only way to make it through this maze was to become the rat, only this one didn't have the luxury of relying on its sense of smell to find the cheese.

Kazarina lifted her gaze gleefully to take in their reactions. Mylene couldn't see the faces of her comrades, but Sid's stiffness was evidence enough that they did not appreciate this new development. She was sure to keep her glare venomous.

Kazarina met her gaze and sneered, chuckling daintily. Something about the laugh made the bluenette hate her even more, which was apparently possible.

"Alright, children. Three hours." She pulled out a stopwatch and held it by the chain. It swung with a small clinking, the light catching the crystal and flashing it in Mylene's eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" came a growl from the witch's side. Lumagrowl was floating above Kazarina's shoulder, observing. "We don't have all day."

Mylene's lip curled at the order, but she complied. She was the first to move, and Shadow was quick to follow. He was at her side in a moment, eyes serious and, dare she suggest it, protective. It was a jarring juxtaposition, one that Mylene didn't particularly appreciate. Any other time she might have liked seeing the change, perhaps an indication that her boyfriend really was shaping into a responsible person during normal situations, but not now. Now, though she was loathe to admit it, the sadistic craziness the nobel tended to exhibit would have been comforting.

The ground filed into the entrance and glanced at each other, ultimately turning their gazes to Mylene to make the final decision. She met Shadow's stare and lifted her head proudly, ignoring Kazarina's eyes as she led the way into the maze. She could feel the question on all of their minds as though the thought was palpable, but deliberately put off addressing it. She didn't want the witch to have the last laugh at seeing their concern.

They had taken three turns in silence, no one breaking it for lack of things to say. Shadow draped an arm over Mylene's shoulders and Sid and Volt walked side by side. It wasn't until the fourth turn and the second dead end that Lync spoke.

"Are we just gonna leave them here?" he asked.

"No," Mylene answered strongly. "We're gonna get Dan out. But we can't do much for him while we're still on _their _strings."

"Strings?" Sid asked, raising an eyebrow. Mylene shot him a glare.

"Strings. Like a marionette," Hydron explained, saving him a verbal lashing from the blue haired woman who looked about ready to claw out someones eyes with a plastic tasting spoon from an ice cream shop. She may have mellowed out over the past few years on Displatis, but the Gundalians had done little to encourage that. She was almost as lethal as she was in the days of New Vestroia. Maybe Dan had triggered the change, being her former enemy, or maybe it was the lack of control and being forced to follow someone else's orders. Either way, she was just as dangerous as before, if not more so.

"So what's the plan?" Shadow asked. Mylene glanced up at his face through eyes narrowed to slits. He didn't flinch, but she was certain she saw goosebumps rise on his arms. A flicker of satisfaction worked it's way through her at that.

"The plan," she said, "we will discus once we're out of this hellhole where that _bitch_ can't hear us." Shadow choked at her vulgarity, nearly tripping over his own feet and almost off-balancing her. That seemed to seal the deal, and Mylene let out an enraged growl. "I swear to god, I am going to murder that wretched _fiend_ in the most violent, sadistic way possible," she seethed, stomping around the next corner. Shadow snickered. "And, Shadow freaking Prove, I _swear_ to _god,_ _you're_ _next_!"

* * *

><p>They waited until the group had been around the corner for a moment but before Kazarina moved to close the door. The witch was still smirking at the empty hallway when Dan grabbed onto Joe again. He shivered as a now familiar tingling sensation washed over his body, erasing it from view. Joe hissed with the effort, a near silent warning to Dan that he had only seconds to make this work. Dan's grip on his friend's wrist tightened as they began their dash across the open floor.<p>

Once he was about ten feet from the witch, Dan broke off from Joe, embracing visibility and all it's glory. With a wild yell, he lifted his two by four. He relished the startled expression on her face and the loud cry of surprise maybe a little too much as she turned to discover her prisoner running free. He brought the plank down as hard as he could, finding a sort of sick pleasure in the loud crack it made as it connected with her skull. Her yelp was silenced abruptly and her eyes rolled up into the back of her head. She fell.

Dan slowed to a halt and turned. His chest heaved. A brief flicker of fear sparked in his chest when he took in her unmoving form. _Wait, did I kill her?_

Then he noticed the slight rise and fall of her chest, her even, albeit slow, breaths. His shoulders slumped in relief. She wasn't dead. Good. Although, he wondered briefly why he didn't want her to die. After all, she _had_ tortured him multiple times—and taken obnoxious, obvious pleasure in it, too. But…

"Dan! Little help!" came Joe's shout, shattering his train of thought. Dan searched the room for his friend, discovering him doing his best to placate a struggling Runo. His hands were locked around her wrists, pulled close so they were face to face. She was twisting and jerking, having dug her feet into the ground and arched her back so she was as far from him as possible despite his grip. Joe was in a similar position, only his was sturdier. He held her fast and his teenaged muscles rippled beneath his shirt, but the effort it cost to keep her there was obvious from the look of concentration on his face.

Dan jogged over to him, trying to shake his giddiness. Kazarina was down, and the only other person in the room was Runo. The Gundalians couldn't be monitoring the video cameras; they hadn't seen them yet, and that could only mean no one was in the room with the monitors. Even so, he couldn't stop his nervous glance up at the camera in the corner. He had been lucky so far, and from his experience, he knew his luck wouldn't last long. They had to make this fast.

"Let me go!" Runo shrieked. "Master Gill! Miss Sellon! Someone!"

Dan felt his rage boil and physically felt his face darken. He crossed the remaining distance between himself and Joe in an instant, placing himself at Runo's side. She glared up at him defiantly, and if Dan didn't know her so well, he'd never notice the slight fluttering of her eyelids that indicated her fear. He supposed his murderous expression was probably the cause and that the blood on his shirt probably didn't help, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Not with _their_ vile 'titles' on her lips.

"Don't ever call them that again," he snapped, nostrils flaring. Immediately, he knew he shouldn't have ordered her like that, and she bristled just as he expected her to.

"Why?" she challenged. Her eyes glittered dangerously. "Just because they're keeping you here where you belong?"

"What are you talking about?" Dan retorted, anger mixing with confusion. It was a deadly concoction, one that blocked out their surroundings. Even Joe was invisible to the pair now, connected by their shared ire.

"My mistress told me everything!" Runo spat. "You're the leader of the resistance! You keep spreading propaganda against the Master!" Dan stared at her. "You're the one that ordered the attack on me that made me lose my memory! _You're_ why my friend Splight won't talk to me anymore!"

"_What_ are you _talking_ about?" Dan demanded. "Your memory? Am I missing something here or did Kazarina completely rewire your brain? Do you even hear yourself? Runo, snap out of it!"

"Who the heck is 'Runo'? I'm Rin!"

"Uh, Dan," Joe said. Dan ignored him, opting to stare at Runo—Rin—instead. An odd look came over her face at the mention of his name, but he didn't notice.

"You don't remember? You're not 'Rin'; you're Runo! Runo _Misaki_." The look deepened for a moment, then vanished.

"Yeah, and you're a lying, no-good _son of a bitch_."

"Dan?"

"You know, I kinda expected that response, but in a completely different context," Dan snapped.

"Well, gee, I wonder the hell why!"

"Dan," Joe interjected more urgently. Both teens rounded on him.

"What?" Dan demanded. Joe opened his mouth to answer, but didn't get a chance. A loud crackling filled the air, causing the hairs on Dan's arms to stand on end. His luck had run out.

Instinctively, he dropped to the floor, recognizing the signs of a Gundalian's electricity. Joe and Rin hit the floor next to him, and then the room was washed in bright, flickering light. Crackling fried their ears, leaving them ringing when it died down.

Dan didn't waste a second and rolled to catch a glimpse of their assailant. He knew without looking that he wouldn't like the sight, but seeing an angry Gill definitely topped his 'Oh Shit' list. The man looked extremely irritated, as if Dan was the one mosquito he hadn't been able to swat after a night on the swamp. Dan swallowed hard. This was bad.

"You know," the Gundalian growled, "I've just about had it with you, Kuso."

"Heh, that's real funny," Dan retorted mirthlessly. "Seems the feeling's mutual." Gill smirked.

"I don't know how you managed to get out of your room, or avoid the cameras, especially in this room, but that doesn't really matter now. Your pathetic escape attempt ends here."

"Master Gill!" Rin cried, twisting her wrists again in another futile attempt to break out of Joe's grip. "Thank goodness you're here!" Dan tensed as Gill's gaze flicked to Rin, then glanced at Kazarina's unconscious form. He turned his eyes back to Dan, who edged in front of Joe and Rin protectively.

"Seems you've managed to do me one favor," Gill stated cooly, crossing his arms. He nodded towards Kazarina. Dan glanced at her, then back to Gill. "Least I won't have _her_ telling me I can't do what I'm about to."

"You _really_ don't like her, do you?" Dan muttered. Gill's gaze grew chillier.

"That is none of your business. I hope you and your friends have said your last goodbyes, Kuso."

"Hmph, you can't kill me," Dan replied, fixing Gill with his glare. "Imagine how angry your emperor would be with you then."

"Who said anything about killing you?" Dan faltered, feeling a chill, but refused to let Gill see it. He continued. "I am simply saying that the next time you meet, you may not be able to speak." The way he said it, it sounded less like a missed opportunity and more like a physical disfigurement.

"Is that a threat?" Dan's eyes narrowed. Gill didn't answer. He just stood there in silence, staring him down, daring him to make a move. Dan felt sweat trickle down his neck and resisted the urge to wipe his palms on his pants. "Joe," he murmured. "Take her and go. Maze on three. One."

"Excuse me?" Rin muttered.

"Dan," Joe hissed in protest.

"Just do it. Two."

"Dan—"

"Three!" he shouted, diving for the control panel. Joe, despite his misgivings, yanked Rin toward the mouth of the maze. Gill let out a guttural growl, immediately moving to pursue Dan. Dan felt the tingle of the lightning before he heard it and instantly dropped to the ground and covered his head with his hands, knowing this was going to hurt. His ears filled with sound and his nose with smoke, but much to his surprise, he wasn't hearing his own screams. He smelled normal smoke for a change, too. It wasn't tainted with the acrid smell of burning cotton and skin. He blinked his eyes open, confused.

Gill was standing a good ten yards away, hand outstretched, with an odd expression on his face. Dan frowned, propping himself up on one arm and glancing behind him. His eyes widened.

The _control panel_ was smoking and sparking, little glowing sparkles shooting off it with dozens of angry pops. Dan blinked, every bit as dumbfounded as Gill. Well. Wasn't that a once-in-a-lifetime pleasant development. Maybe his luck hadn't run out yet after all.

The two of them were startled out of their stupor with a loud mechanical lurch. Their eyes met, then both flicked to the source of the sound. The metal door. It was falling.

Dan shot to his feet faster than Gill's lightning could be conjured and suddenly, he was running. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Rin and Joe skirted the threshold easily, Joe's arm tight around her waist even as she kicked out wildly. His grip on the struggling girl dragged the both of them down when he stumbled, but he rolled onto his side to watch with wide eyes as Dan attempted to clear the last hurdle.

The door was falling faster, picking up speed as gravity called it. Dan was only a few yards away. Three. Two. The door fell to a yard above the ground. Dan squeezed his eyes shut and dove.

A loud bang echoed through the hall, sealing it. Dan's body collided with Joe and Rin, who were lying side by side on the floor. Joe's arm was still wrapped firmly around her waist, but she was too surprised to make an effort to throw it off. Dan's chest heaved from his sprint, his hands still shaking. He felt unsteady and giddy from adrenaline, but despite it, he lifted his head.

The door was shut. Sealed. And the control panel was busted.

Dan glanced, stupefied, at Joe. His lips stretched in an ecstatic smile.

Joe met his gaze and grinned, eyes bright with relief. Dan chuckled, and, tentatively, so did Joe, and soon they were all out laughing, relishing their adrenaline-fueled euphoria.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, shorter chapter. I think it's worth it, though.<strong>

**Review!**


	30. Revelations

**A/N**

**FOR GOODNESS SAKE, WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?!**

**I want to know why all of my chapters are simply walls of gibberish. Seriously. This is not okay.**

***Sigh* Okay, it should be fixed now. Carry on.**

* * *

><p><strong>"We don't have to be defined by the things we did or didn't do in our past. Some people allow themselves to be controlled by regret. Maybe it's a regret, maybe it's not. It's merely something that happened. Get over it." <strong>

**― Pittacus Lore, I Am Number Four**

* * *

><p>The day was shaping up to be one of the best Shun had seen in a while—and that wasn't just because of the weather. Being outside with the wind in his ears always had been something to lift his mood. Moving at a speed impossible to track, he was invisible. He had been doing it for so long it was second nature to just meld into the shadows, and even though he wasn't hiding in the dark, there was something thrilling in the action just the same. He was hiding in plain sight, and it made him feel invincible.<p>

The kiss of the minty air on his cheeks and the cool feeling on the inside of his nostrils lifted his spirits to the highest they'd been since Dan disappeared. And with the anniversary of his mother's death falling so unfortunately in the middle of all that chaos, he had been having a worse time than most with the whole ordeal, with the exception of Julie, Runo and Marucho. His mood still wasn't great, but for once, he felt relatively peaceful.

But, as all things did, his peace came to an end. The city that had been on the horizon just a few minutes ago was rapidly growing larger, and Shun estimated that he was probably about a mile off. He slowed his pace down to a jog, hoping not to startle the citizens by just appearing out of thin air. When scouting for information, the subtle approach was usually the best, especially when it came to asking about people that many others, with good reason, feared.

Shun hadn't exactly been jumping at the prospect of going on scouting duty for Keith and Mira, especially with his ribs being as sore as they were (it felt like he was getting sucker-punched in the lower back with each movement), especially when he didn't exactly trust the two new brawlers Anubias and Sellon to head the teams to round up kids and extricate them from Bakugan Interspace, as Marucho had requested, but even he had to admit he needed a distraction. He wondered if he was simply overanalyzing the situation and that his stress was getting to him, but even still, something about the two didn't feel right. However, he knew he needed to get away from all the intensity for a while. It was really wearing on him; far more than he expected it to. He could feel some part of him slipping the more time he spent with his companions, and even more so when he spent time in Bakugan Interspace.

It was the same way he felt back then, when his only companion was his crotchety old grandfather.

The air on Displatis smelled of mint, almost as if the grass were really just some variation of the plant he knew on Earth. When he first came through the portal, he thought there was just a mint plant nearby, but now he knew that wasn't the case. Every breath felt chilled, and after running for so long, his throat and nostrils were almost numb. Shun liked it. It reminded him of a tea his mother used to make, and how her room always smelled like fresh mint sprigs.

It didn't take long for Shun to reach the city. It wasn't unlike Alpha City on New Vestroia, and he had to pass through a gate to gain entry. It was open, which was fortunate, and as he passed through, he tugged off the scarf woven around his face. He tucked it beneath his cape as he strode forward into the city.

Shun was noticed immediately. Vestals sitting at outdoor cafes fell silent, then started speaking to each other with hushed tones. They all pretended that they weren't watching him, but Shun could feel their stares and see them point out of the corner of his eye. He didn't make eye contact with them. He swept his gaze around the square, searching for anyone that looked as though they might know about the current events.

He found his candidate window-shopping at a bakery a little ways down the street. Dressed in a crisp, custom tailored suit was a man in his forties with thinning black hair. He clutched a shiny, leather suitcase in his left hand and was leaning back on his hips, eyeing the pastries with a sharp eye.

He was so engrossed in his observations that he didn't notice Shun approach until his shadow fell across him. He didn't jump, just glanced at Shun's reflection. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Excuse me, Sir, but you wouldn't happen to have seen my friends, would you?" Shun asked, keeping his shoulders relaxed and his expression neutral. The man turned to face him, a questioning look on his face. "They're young, about twenty one, I'd say."

"You're not from around here," the man said, ignoring Shun's question. His blue eyes searched his face curiously, a slight hint of suspicion lurking in their depths. "Are you from out of town?"

Shun kept his posture neutral, but frowned. "Yeah, something like that. You don't get visitors very often, I take it. I'm Shun. Shun Kazami." He stuck out a hand.

"Odin Harris," the man said, taking it. He seemed to warm up a bit at Shun's greeting and a bit of the hardness left his eyes, but not all of it. "Looking for friends, you say?"

"Yeah."

"They got names?"

"Mylene Farrow and Shadow Prove." Odin stared at him for a moment before giving a resigned sigh.

"Yeah, I've seen them. Gave everyone around here an awful fright when they waltzed into town. Even more so than the others."

"Others?"

"Yeah, the other Vexos." Shun's eyes widened.

"The other Vexos? You mean Lync and Volt?" His voice didn't give away his surprise.

"And Prince Hydron, too," Odin nodded. He gave Shun an inquisitive look. "You're friends, you said. Wouldn't they have told you that?"

"We haven't seen each other in a long time," Shun answered vaguely. "When did they arrive here?"

"Oh, a couple years ago, I'd say." Odin looked thoughtful. The topic of small-town gossip seemed to engage him, and all the hardness went out of his expression. "When they first showed up, everyone was surprised, even them. Apparently, no one on Vestal knows about our colony out here—which, in my opinion, is the best news we've gotten since we landed. But, you know." He lowered his voice. "No one was really keen on having Zenoheld's top supporters in town, no matter how many times they tried to assure us they weren't working for him anymore. And when Hydron showed up—ho boy—all hell pretty much broke loose."

Shun nodded in understanding. Even he was taken by surprise when Hydron started to help them in the fight against the Alternative. His track record didn't exactly speak in his favor. He was confused, though. Hadn't Hydron died in the explosion from the Alternative?

"Things have settled down now, though," Odin mused, glancing around at everyone on the street. Shun followed his gaze. Everyone had pretty much gone back to their business, but a few glances were still being cast his way.

"Any idea where I can find them?" Shun asked. Odin thought for a moment before a look of confusion crossed his features.

"You know, now that you've brought them up," he murmured, "I don't think I've seen them in a while. Normally, Hydron and Lync come down and get breakfast at the diner on Juno Street on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but I haven't seen them there in a while. And Mylene usually hangs out at the mayor's office, doing some sort of secretary work or something. But apparently, she hasn't shown up lately." Shun frowned.

"How long?"

"Hm…about three weeks, now that I think about it." Shun's frown deepened.

"Well that's an awfully strange coincidence," he muttered. Odin gave him a questioning look, but Shun didn't give him a chance to voice his concern. "Can you tell me where I can find the mayor's office?"

* * *

><p>Shun supposed he was rather lucky to catch the mayor just as he was leaving his office to take his lunch break, but he didn't dwell on the thought for long.<p>

"Excuse me," he said, stepping in front of the suited man. "Could I have a moment of your time?"

"Do you have an appointment?" the man asked. Shun took in the wrinkles above his eyebrows and the way his purple eyes were narrow with annoyance. He kept his expression even.

"No, I don't."

"Then I will have to decline. If you'll excuse me…" The man attempted to brush past him, but Shun was quick. He stepped right in his path again, drawing an irritated glare from the man.

"I'm sorry, but this is important. This concerns Mylene Farrow." The mayor froze and took a step back, scanning Shun's form with a scrutinizing glint in his eyes. Shun held his gaze.

"…Please," he said slowly, "step into my office, mister…?"

"Shun. Shun Kazami." He followed him past the secretary's desk, pretending not to see as she sank down in her chair. A twinge of guilt twisted in his stomach. He had probably scared her with the dark look on his face when he walked into the office. He noted the picture of a blue haired Vestal girl glaring at a silver haired young man with red eyes that was framed on the desk. Mylene and Shadow Prove. This secretary must have been a replacement.

"Ah, yes, I believe I recognize you now," said the mayor as he rounded his desk and sat. He motioned toward the pair of leather seats in front of the mahogany desk as Shun briefly took in the expensive furnishings. Shelves lined with antiques covered the walls and an elegant tapestry hung from the sleek amber paneling. It depicted a sea of vibrant magenta flowers beneath a blazing yellow sun, the same flowers he had seen in the field when he, Mira, Keith and Alice arrived.

"Shun Kazami," the mayor said, thoughtfully. His eyes were calmly suspicious, but not accusing. "Ventus Brawler, formerly ranked number one on Earth. Member of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers and the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Resistance. Am I correct?"

"Yes, you are," Shun replied, sitting. The mayor picked his lips and leaned forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands.

"If I'm not mistaken," he said slowly, "the Resistance and the Vexos were never exactly on the best of terms." Shun didn't say anything, and the mayor took his silence as an affirmation of the fact. "I see. Why should I give you any information concerning Miss Farrow if you intend to provoke her?"

"I'm not here to provoke her," Shun stated. "We were trying to save them when they were sucked through the Death Portal. But I don't see how it matters, as I hear they've been missing for a while."

The mayor watched him seriously, searching his face for any signs of malice. He found none; Shun was sure to keep his expression neutral. The man sighed. "Yes, unfortunately that is so."

"Do you have any idea where they might have gone?" He grimaced and a guilty look crossed his face. Shun narrowed his eyes.

"About three weeks ago," the mayor began, "a few of our watchmen noticed a glow coming from the eastern horizon. We were surprised, because our colony is the farthest east."

"There are others?"

"Four others. We all came out here to avoid Zenoheld's tyranny. We all knew the situation on Vestal was deteriorating. We decided to defer and move to some remote location, so we hijacked four of the seven intended colonization cities." Shun nodded in understanding. "Finding this place wasn't all that hard. I'm sure you've noticed how similar it is in appearance to New Vestroia? That's because it's a parallel world; it exists on a sort of skewed dimension.

"Anyway, we gave it a day and the lights were still there. So Mylene and her teammates, who are our appointed military faction, I suppose you could say, went to investigate. They haven't returned."

"Do you have any idea at all about the cause of the light?" Shun asked. The mayor sighed, sitting up and pulling a drawer in his desk open. He reached in and produced a Vestal communicator, which he turned on. A blank screen appeared, and after pressing a few buttons, a map glowed into being. Shun leaned in curiously.

"About five miles from here," he said, pointing at the screen, which featured a map of the surrounding area, "is an abandoned building." He clicked a button and an image of a building appeared. "It's huge. It can house about half of the population of this city comfortably. There's an automated kitchen and about three gymnasiums, one of which is about the size of what you would equate to a baseball field. There's even a laboratory somewhere in there, and dozens of other office rooms.

"Outside," he continued, pressing another button, "there are high powered lights." An image of a large field with lights Shun could only equate to prison grade dotting the area. Shun raised an eyebrow. The mayor noticed. "It's not a prison, but that building was designed to be a type of barracks for the Vestal army on New Vestroia. The lights were in case of attack." Shun nodded. "We believe that someone decided to use that facility for some purpose or another. We wanted to know why, as everything we do out here affects another city."

"Have the lights still been on at night?" Shun asked. The mayor nodded. "And Mylene and the others haven't come back?"

"No, they haven't," he replied, running a hand through his thinning hair. He sighed. "We haven't had any communication with them since they set out, and even though they have been accepted by some, not enough of our citizens are willing to risk their lives to go see if they're alright. Especially not after that other fellow showed up."

"Other fellow?"

"Yeah, kid in red. Blonde hair, really tall. He's got Volt Luster's physique, tall and brawny." Shun's eyes narrowed.

"What was his name?"

"I believe it was something along the lines of Seth or Sean or something."

"Sid?" The mayor's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Yeah, that was it." He frowned. "How did you know that?"

"Another friend of mine, I guess you could say," Shun replied.

The mayor nodded. "Would make sense, I suppose. Got along pretty well with the Vexos. Turns out he was a Pyrus brawler for some organization on his home planet. Didn't know of any other planets 'sides New Vestroia, Vestal, Displatis and Earth."

The ninja was quiet for a moment. "Those flowers," he nodded to the tapestry. "Are they the same as the ones all over the place outside the city?"

The mayor followed his gaze. "Yes," he said. "We planted them. Cyclamen."

"Seems like a lot of effort to beatify a landscape you never see." The mayor bristled a bit.

"They are there more as a cultural distinction than a landscaping decision."

Shun stood. "Would you mind pointing me in the direction of that facility?"

"You're going to go investigate?" The mayor stood as well, frowning in concern and appearing a bit surprised at the sudden change of subject. "I'm not sure that's a very good idea."

"Don't worry about me. You said it was East of here?" The mayor stared at him for a few seconds, as if sizing him up, before he sighed.

"Do you have one of these?" He gestured to the communicator. Shun pulled the one Mira gave him out of his pocket. The mayor picked his up and tapped a few buttons, and then the map appeared on Shun's floating screen. "That ought to tell you where to find it. There's a blueprint of the place on there, too, should you need it." He scratched his head, looking at Shun skeptically. "I hope you know what you're getting into, young man."

"Thanks for the information," Shun replied, stepping away from the chair. He reached out to grasp the mayor's hand and they shook, and then he nodded. "I think I'll take my leave now."

"Good luck," the mayor said, and then Shun was gone.

* * *

><p>He was within an acre of the mysterious lighted building when he felt the familiar but no less unwelcome resistance of a trip wire against his right ankle. He didn't think twice before launching himself into the air.<p>

His grunt was drowned out in the explosion that followed, one of such power that just the blast of hot air knocked him out of the air. He yelped in surprise, his carefully controlled jump quickly thrown off balance. Then he was falling, and righting himself was surprisingly hard with his intercostal muscles as bruised as the sparring partner of Bruce Lee.

He landed, ungracefully, in a crouch, twisting his ankle at an awkward angle beneath him. He winced, but rose to his feet immediately to take in the now flaming patch of cyclamen he had been walking through when he discovered the trip wire.

"Are you alright, Shun?" came Taylean's concerned voice. Shun noticed both he and Hawktor floating, nervously, by his head, but responding to them wasn't high on his priority list. He scanned the ground for anything else and came away with the knowledge that several more trip wires wired to death traps had been laid—four more, to be exact. They were arranged in a large pentagon around the open garage-like door leading into the building. Shun had set off the top of the shape, now leaving the others to form a trapezoid.

Another leap into the air revealed five other bombs—pipe bombs. They were crudely made, but clearly done by someone with a knowledge of what he was doing. From what he could see, they weren't wired to tripwires, but he didn't know if they _were_ wired to motion sensors.

He landed more smoothly this time, carefully aimed away from the scorched earth of the first trap. He stood there for a moment, surveying the seemingly harmless stretch of ground before him.

What was _in_ that building?

"What was that?" Hawktor asked. "Are you okay?" The question came more urgently this time. Shun had an urge to snap at him, but he reigned it in expertly. After all, he'd had years of practice with self control.

"Just fine," he replied curtly, walking forward. His cape and scarf, reminiscent to his days alone on New Vestroia, flapped in the breeze. Hawktor didn't fall for it.

"Shun, you are not 'fine'," he snapped back. "If you were 'fine', you'd talk to us!"

Shun eyed the nearest non-tripwired bomb tensely, with a trained eye. No timer, no motion sensor, but a small black box on the top. A receiver. He tensed.

This was a remote detonated bomb.

Someone was watching. Or was supposed to be watching, considering all of his limbs were still intact.

"Shun! Talk to us!" Taylean said insistently, pushing himself in Shun's face. Shun's eyes focused on him, but instead of showing understanding, they held only annoyance.

"I appreciate your concern," he forced out in a calm voice, "but this is not the best time to discuss this."

"Why?" Taylean demanded. Shun grit his teeth.

"Because that," he groused, pointing at the homemade pipe bomb, "is a remotely detonated bomb." His Bakugan fell silent at that, and even Shun couldn't deny the stab of smug satisfaction he felt when they quieted.

He considered disabling the devices. After looking at this one, he knew it would be relatively simple, as far as disabling bombs went. To a professional, anyway. Shun really only knew the basics. As a ninja, it was far more practical to get out of the line of fire than it was to spend precious time disabling an active charge.

Especially when time was something a ninja considered a precious asset.

He held out his hand, a signal the two Bakugan had gotten used to. They closed their balls and returned to him, and he held them tight in his fist. Then he leapt into the air again, clearing the entire rest of the field in a single jump.

He landed silently on the roof of the building, just above the garage door. He surveyed the roof quickly, discovering that, based on it's structure, it was likely that of a large room. _One of the gymnasiums?_ he thought to himself. He turned then and stared down at the ground below, weighing his options and searching for video cameras and more trip wires.

Finding none, he dropped down, landing several feet to the right of the door. Shun pressed his back to the wall and stood up straight, then inched his way to a point where he could see inside.

His eyes widened. He recognized that person. How could he not, considering the circumstances under which they met?

_"Ah, Shun. I didn't expect you to lose your temper so soon. And after something something so trivial, too."_

And then a figure clad in red stepped into his line of vision.

"When they get to the end, you can't let that brat through. The rest of the bombs will be fine for the others; I don't really care what Kazarina has to say about _Rin_. Just don't let Dan through," Gill snarled.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the plan," growled the spiky-haired Gundalian, whose deep, guttural voice rubbed Shun the wrong way for a reason other than the obvious. "You sure about the bombs? One just went off."

"You probably hit the button on one in your incompetence." His accusation was biting, his tone one of scalding liquid metal. "Airzel, Stoica, let's go," snapped Gill. "I don't want to take any chances."

"Yes, sir," Airzel replied.

"I am going to _kill _that girl," Stoica growled, and the three stalked out of Shun's line of sight.

Maybe it had something to do with the coppery taste in Shun's mouth from where his tongue pierced his tongue, or maybe it was just from seeing Gill's crimson garb. He was well past the point of caring as the Gundalian's voice floated through his head.

_"Remember, we hold nine lives in our hands. Or have you forgotten about Runo and Joe?"_

Nine lives.

Runo. Joe. Mylene. Shadow. Lync. Volt. Hydron. Sid.

And _Dan_.

He had found _Dan._

He was going to kill them, and if the red he was seeing was any indication of just how gruesome their murders would be, they had better watch out.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh…done for this chapter? Maybe? I think?<strong>

**OH MY GOSH I HATE SHUN SO MUCH RIGHT NOW. HE IS A PAIN TO WRITE.**

**Uh…**

**Review!**


	31. Cunning

**Uh, sorry that this is late in the day. I spent the weekend camping (Girl Scouts, woot!) and I got home this morning, then proceeded to shower, watch a few episodes of the Colbert Report, and then sleep until three. But it was worth it!**

**Whoever can find the parallelism in this chapter gets a virtual cookie (and maaaaaybe a drawing and shoutout on deviantart)**

* * *

><p><strong>"Come on, somebody, why doncha run? Ol' Red's itchin' to have a little fun! Get my lantern! Get my gun! Red'll have you treed 'fore the mornin' comes," —Old Red, Blake Shelton<strong>

* * *

><p>It was Volt that discovered them, even though Hydron was the first to hear them. He turned the corner, returning to the beginning of the maze, where his jaw dropped. The others arrived seconds later.<p>

"Dan?" Shadow exclaimed. Dan, Joe and Rin all jumped and glanced to the left in surprise, looking up from the shouting match taking place between two of them. Rin and Dan were standing opposite each other, legs spread and shoulders tense as they shouted, while Joe had been leaning against the crate-wall with a hand on his head, clearly exasperated by the two. They all looked stunned for a moment after hearing Shadow's voice, Joe so much so that he had jumped away from the wall and took a fighting stance, but then Dan broke the silence.

"Oh, hey guys," he said distractedly. He turned his attention back to Rin immediately. "Runo. Kazarina must have hypnotized you. You're not 'Rin' or whoever she told you you were! You're _Runo_."

"Just because I don't have my memories doesn't mean that I am an idiot!" she screamed, lashing out with her hand. Dan jerked his head away, just barely missing her blow. She was glaring at him with a terrible ferocity, he eyes burning like molten gold. He stared back in shock, then focused his gaze on the purple fabric covering her mouth.

"You know, Runo, I think masks are more up Masquerade and Spectra's alley, not yours," he said. Her eyebrows furrowed in angry confusion.

"What—?" She didn't get a chance to finish because Dan launched himself at her, and she yelped as his hands seized her shoulders. Suddenly, they were falling backwards, his nose mere inches from hers. She was slammed into the ground with a grunt, and Dan wasted no time in sitting on her chest to keep her down. She let out a strangled hiss of pain and Dan focused some of his weight onto his feet, but kept enough on her to keep her pinned.

"Dan!" Mylene and Joe protested, but he was beyond hearing them. His hand seized the tiara on her head and flung it to the side, taking the veil with it and undoing her bun, then ripped off the mask over her face.

Almost immediately, he wished he hadn't. He gasped, eyes wide, as he shifted the entirety of his weight back onto the balls of his feet. His jaw hung unhinged as he took in the damage to her cheeks, to her jawline, to her face.

Her left cheek was marked with four parallel bruises, all a deep, royal purple. They surrounded four painful looking scabbed-over cuts, two of which were being held closed by crude, black stitches. A mirror of Dan's scarred-over jaw-burn stood out on her left jawline, the surrounding skin an angry red and some parts of the burn itself a sickly yellow. The whole burn was raised and swollen, clearly painful. Her neck was bruised with the same parallel purple lines, and a small patch of hair from the top of her head was missing. The skin there was covered in scabs, as though she had been scratched with claws.

Her eyes glittered defiantly despite being unmasked. In fact, as soon as Dan started blinking, she spat in his face. He brushed it away passively. He just stared at her with anguished eyes, taking in the damage that had been done to her face.

"Runo…" he whispered. "What did they do to you?"

She didn't respond in her same defiant manner, apparently recognizing his change in demeanor. Her glare wavered, and she seemed to be staring at him with a different emotion in her eyes. Confusion, Dan recognized, but what else lurked beneath, he couldn't tell.

"Look, I don't mean to interrupt this reunion of yours," Sid interjected, clearly not genuine in his assurance, "but we're kinda on a time limit, and I, for one, don't want to wind up on that witch's table."

"How did you even get _in_ here?" Mylene demanded. "I thought they locked you up on the other side of the building!" Dan looked up at her, then at Joe. A look of nervous confusion appeared on his face.

"Uh, I'm not exactly sure how to explain that…"

"How about we start looking for the exit and worry about how we got in here as we walk?" Joe suggested tersely. "He's right; the clock is ticking, Dan."

"Alright," Dan replied, turning his attention back to Rin. "Runo, ("I'm not Runo!") I'm gonna let you up now, okay?"

He got to his feet and stepped over her, allowing her to rise as well. She shot him a glare, but stood nonetheless and yanked on her cape to smooth out the ruffles. Her hair tumbled down her back in all its cerulean glory, shining in the harsh, industrial lights that hung from above. When she bent down to pick up her veil and mask, though, Dan beat her to it. He kicked away her tiara, which hit the far side of the hall with a clatter, and snatched up the mask. He tore it in two and let the pieces flutter to the ground like the frayed, torn butterfly wings, and then met her eyes.

She was not happy.

"What the hell was that for?" she demanded.

"Runo…"

"Dan, let's go!" Mylene snapped, strutting forward and grabbing Rin's wrist despite her vocal protest. "You'll have plenty of time to chat about your relationship status after we get the hell out of here!"

"Relationship? Let me go!" Rin snarled, yanking against Mylene's grip. Dan grimaced automatically, knowing that that was definitely not the right thing for Rin to do. However, much to his surprise, Mylene didn't retaliate. She did send her a murderous glare, one that stilled the golden-eyed girl, and she instead opted to protest verbally. "Let go of me! When Mistress Kazarina get's a hold of you—"

"Oh, shut up," Mylene snapped, dragging her around the corner. Dan exchanged a glance with Joe and then looked at Lync, who had a nervous but sympathetic look on his face, before he darted after them. "There's only one way out of this maze, Runo("Quit calling me that!"). You can either wait there for the next three hours or come with us and get out faster."

That was when she seemed to see reason and quieted, though not without a predicted air of irritation. Mylene tossed her arm to away from her before strutting down the hall angrilly. Instead of protesting, she growled quietly to herself and stalked after Mylene, shooting a glare at the boys before joining her up front. They didn't speak; rather, they just seemed to tolerate each others' presences.

Meanwhile, the boys turned to a more pressing matter.

"So, how did you guys get out?" Lync asked, peering at Dan curiously. "The Gundalians made it sound like it was impossible to escape."

"Yeah. They came over and started going on and on about how tight the security on your room was," Sid grumbled, rolling his eyes. Shadow led them around a corner and the two girls followed close behind him while the other boys hung back, conversing. "Like any of us cared…"

"Well, that's the thing…" Dan started, frowning. "It's kinda unbelievable."

"Whoa, stop the presses," Sid said sarcastically. "Hotshot Dan Kuso says His Escape is Unbelievable. Someone call in the National Guard."

"Knock it off, Sid," Mylene called, revealing for all of her practiced indifference that she actually was eavesdropping. Sid shot her a glare that she didn't see but did as he was told. Dan shook his head. He was never gonna get used to him listening to her.

"Uh…well, remember how I told you I was getting weird dreams?"

"The whole 'Gate and Key' thing?" Lync asked. Joe cocked his head to the side, appearing curious.

Dan nodded, trying to ignore Joe's scrutinizing gaze, and then proceeded to explain how Wavern appeared and woke him up, prompting a few clarifying questions from the Vexos and Sid, then led him to Joe. Joe took over the explanation then, and Dan noted how he left out the majority of information about the Infinity Wavelength. "It's basically a residue of the energy Wavern expended when she held the Infinity Core," Joe said simply when Hydron asked for an explanation. "Because she was my Guardian Bakugan, I was exposed more than anyone else. Very little remains, just enough for me to heal myself and anyone in the vicinity." Dan glanced at him. That was a lie.

"How did you get past the video cameras?" Rin asked from up front, sounding genuinely curious instead of spiteful. Joe shrugged, a goofy grin on his face.

"I guess we just got lucky." There was a note of finality in his tone, the kind that invited no further questions. Everyone got the hint—even Sid. _Although_, Dan supposed as he watched the teen walk with a hand cupped over his ear, _Sid probably hears those things but chooses to ignore them…_

"Damn," Shadow growled from up front. He stopped, and the group of eight behind him followed suit. Dan blinked, then actively looked at the scene before him. It was a three way intersection, and Shadow was clearly not happy about it.

"Lync," the white-haired hyena whined, "can you _please_ go back to scouting duty? All this leader business is hurting my head!"

Lync grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a threat to the brawler, but walked forward anyway. "Mylene, are you still keeping that map?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I'm gonna need that."

"Lync is the scout?" Dan asked Hydron as Mylene passed a piece of paper to the pink-haired boy. Dan's eyes lingered on Rin, who was scowling at Mylene's side, until she caught his gaze and sent a scathing glare in his direction. The injuries to her face somehow made her more menacing and Dan was startled to find a small flicker of fear waver in his stomach. He quickly looked at Hydron again, trying to ignore the stab of pain that came with her anger.

"Yeah. He's pretty good with patterns and puzzles," Hydron explained, ignoring Dan's discomfort. "Always has been. It's why he's so good with computers."

"Now that you mention it…" Dan mused, "he always seemed to be more the computer-geek type than the brawler type." Lync turned down the hall on the right, pencil in hand and look of concentration on his face. Hydron motioned to the side of the hall and sat against the crates, resting his elbow on his hand and twirling a lock of his hair. Dan joined him while Joe and Volt struck up a conversation nearby.

"He had a big mouth," Hydron grumbled, "and he tried to fight using a more reckless approach than a Ventus brawler should have."

"I saw that," Dan nodded, refusing to allow himself to look at Rin again. "Shun mentioned that he was lacking in discipline or something. I don't think I've ever seen him win a battle." Hydron didn't look surprised, but frowned.

"Yeah, he was the weakest member of the Vexos, but only when he was fighting you guys," he explained. "Any other brawler and they wouldn't have stood a chance. You know, he had that aptitude that all the good brawlers have. I mean, not exactly _aptitude, _but, like that sort of…sense, I guess, of what cards to play and stuff." Hydron's forehead creased in frustration. "Do you understand what I'm talking about?"

Dan nodded, but looked equally perplexed. "Yeah, I know what you mean." There wasn't a word for it, or at least none that came as close as Hydron's description as an aptitude. The former prince continued.

"I mean, he was still a pretty dangerous opponent, even with a mechanical Bakugan, but he was always stronger with a live Bakugan. He just never settled down with one partner until he met Monarus." Dan recalled meeting the Ventus Bakugan, Moonlit Monarus, an evolution of the fairy-like Bakugan Shun enjoyed using. She was very level headed and respectful, but Dan recognized something in her demeanor that indicated how formidable she'd be in battle.

A contemplative look came over Hydron's face. "You know, I fought him once, after he and Shadow had a training battle and Lync wiped the floor with him. I thought it was a fluke, you know? He'd never been able to beat Shadow before, and Shadow came this close to beating him." He held up his index and thumb finger held close together to prove his point. "But when I fought him, it was obvious something in him had changed. He and Monarus just moved from attack to attack to attack, and I didn't even win one round against him!" His companion grinned, a sort of inexplicable pride welling in his chest.

Hydron looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about?"

"I think he found his true partner." Dan recalled that moment when Drago returned to him after becoming the Perfect Core of New Vestroia. Something had clicked when he held him in his hands again. It was like he had finally realized he had another half, one he hadn't quite been conscious of missing until that moment.

"Dead end over here," Lync announced, popping out of the hall on the right. Everyone glanced at him, but went back to their business when he ducked into the next one, calling over his shoulder, "I'm gonna get a head start on this one. I'll be back in a few minutes." Sid grunted something intelligible as he leaned against one of the crates on the opposite end of the hall, looking annoyed. He rubbed at his ear.

Hydron cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean, 'true partner'? I thought a brawler could battle with any Bakugan."

"Well…" Dan and Hydron looked up to discover that Volt and Joe had joined them. Joe sank to a seated position next to Dan while Volt made himself comfortable across from Hydron. Joe was the one who had spoken, and after contemplating what he wanted to say for a moment, he continued. "I think that Dan's right about having a true partner. I mean, a brawler can fight with any Bakugan, sure, but I always noticed it felt more natural to be fighting with my Guardian Bakugan rather than Siege or Robotallion."

"Hm…yeah, I guess I know what you mean," Hydron nodded, still looking a bit confused. A small, brown orb appeared on Hydron's shoulder, drawing the gazes of the brawlers. A Bakugan reminiscent to a spider popped out and peered at Dan curiously, and Dan recognized Apexeon 2, Hydrons' partner Bakugan. The look of perplexity on Hydron's face seemed to clear when he saw him. "Like, when I fought with Dryoid, I had to put a _lot_ of thought into what I was doing. But when I'm battling with Apexeon, it's not like that."

"It feels more natural," Volt agreed. "I noticed that right away when I was fighting with Boriates. It felt nothing like when I was battling with Brontes."

"Aw, Volt!" Brontes exclaimed from Volt's shoulder. Volt grinned.

Dan sat so that his knees were up in front of him. He propped right elbow on his kneecap and rested his head on his hand, gazing thoughtfully at the path Lync had taken. "I think that has to do with the Switch Code," he said.

"Switch Code?"

"It's what Code Eve called the bond between Bakugan and Battler," Dan explained. "She said that while any brawler can fight with any Bakugan, only one brawler is destined to unlock the true power of that one Bakugan. That brawler holds the Switch Code for that one. I think that's what we're talking about. The sense of the card to play and when must come with that. Like, Drago and I will just, sort of…_know_ when to activate certain abilities. I mean, beyond the obvious, logical part of it."

"So it's like a connection," Volt clarified, "between you and your Bakugan partner."

"Your _true _Bakugan partner," Dan nodded.

"So…your Guardian Bakugan," Joe suggested. Dan cocked his head to the side.

"You know," he said, "yeah. I think that's it. How did I not think of that before?"

"Because connections are Marucho's strong point, not yours," Joe chuckled hollowly. Dan rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I've got a decent idea of where we need to go," came Lync's voice as he poked his head out of the hall he had disappeared down. With that, everyone rose to their feet, Rin with an audible hiss of pain from where she had been sitting near Mylene. Dan glanced at her worriedly, tempted to go to her side but stopped when Joe snatched his wrist.

"She's still hypnotized, Dan," he warned in a hushed tone as they made their way over to Lync. "She thinks we're enemies. She's not gonna like it if you try to help her out."

"I know, but…" Dan's eyes turned back to her, anguished. "I made a mistake before all this happened, and I want her to know that I never meant to hurt her." Dan ignored Hydron's pointed glance in his direction.

"You can tell her when she wakes up," Joe assured him quietly. Lync led the way down the hall, bypassing the first two paths and leading them to the left down the third. "We're getting out of here. You'll have plenty of time to talk to her." He left out the part of that statement that both boys knew but didn't say. _If she lets you talk to her._

"This is the tricky part," Lync announced as they came into a hall with four separate paths at different spots along the corridor. "I only had a chance to go down the first few hallways of each of these paths. I haven't hit a dead end in any one of them; they just keep going."

"Do you think this is the heart of the maze, then?" Mylene asked. Lync looked at her, unsure.

"I don't think it's the heart, exactly. I don't think we're that far inside. Remember the map the mayor showed you? This room is the gym on the North side. It's the largest one, and we haven't gone far enough in to be in the middle of the room."

"What makes you say that?" Shadow questioned, staring at the crates around him as if their presence exhausted him. "We've been twisting and turning through this place for almost an hour now; there's no way you can judge distance."

"Actually, I can," Lync retorted. "I memorized the dimensions of the larger rooms, since I didn't think it was possible to build them this big. I mean, the biggest one I've seen was the indoor arena in Professor Clay's lab in Alpha City. This one is just a bit smaller than that."

"So, what, a football field?" Dan asked.

"Uh…" Lync looked perplexed for a moment, then seemed to realize Dan was right. "Yeah, about the size of a football field."

"So?" Sid grumbled disinterestedly.

"So," he replied, holding up his map, "We've only gone about thirty-five yards into this room. We're not in the center yet, and I don't know which way to go now."

"So, what, just pick a hall at random?" Volt asked. Lync's lip twisted and he glanced from aperture to aperture. Mylene sighed.

Sid yanked his hand from his ear as if he'd been shocked. "Get down!" he shouted, shoving Volt and Shadow to the floor and eliciting their very vocal protests. Dan dove, snatching Hydron and Joe by their wrists, and yanked them to the ground, sparing them from the deadly green electricity that made his hair stand on end. It wasn't until the dangerously loud Rice-Crispy-esque noises faded that Dan dared look up, despite his foreknowledge of what he would find.

And, sure enough, there stood Airzel, arm outstretched and palm smoking, not even bothering to disguise the unabashed glee on his face from such an action. Rin and Mylene were both pressed against the wall near him, Rin looking startled but starting to appear more than a little smug. Mylene was just downright murderous, her eyes narrowed to menacing, cobra-like slits. Shadow wasn't faring as well, lying beside a dazed Lync, holding his head in one hand as growling as he glared up at the Gundalian. Sid was the only one still standing. His own arm was out in a gesture that mimicked that of his enemy. Dan started up at him in awe. How had he known Airzel was coming?

"Master Airzel!" Rin cried. Airzel glanced at her before Sid growled, attracting his attention once more. The girl hissed, apparently angry at having the spotlight stolen again. Dan, on the other hand, breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The less attention she got from the Gundalians, the safer she would be.

"Hmph, stand aside, Sid," Airzel ordered, his voice deadly serious despite his sneer. "Tell you what. You return Dan, Joe and Rin, and the rest of you can walk out of here with all the time in the world."

"What, and deprive Kazarina the opportunity to dissect us? What does she have to say about that, big shot?"

"Kazarina isn't in the position to be calling the shots," Airzel growled. Dan and the others blinked.

"Huh. Nice one, Kuso," Sid said after a moment. His glee was undisguised. "You must've hit her pretty hard if she's still out."

"Trust me, it was a long time coming," Dan assured him, smirking himself as he rose to his feet. The presence of his allies and the promise of freedom were emboldening him. The fear he felt when confronted with his captors was suddenly reduced to a feeble ball of anxiety. It was a pleasant change.

Joe and Hydron stood up beside him, glaring defiantly at Airzel, as Shadow propped himself up on one knee. Lynd didn't move.

That was when Dan realized that Lync's clothing was charred.

Airzel noticed his stare and followed his gaze, taking in the Ventus brawler who was groaning in pain on the ground. "Hmph. He'll live. Though not very long if you don't walk over here, children." He lifted his gaze and focused his red eyes on Dan. The brunette growled. His anxiety wriggled and grew, instilling in him a feeling of nausea. _I'm so close!_

Airzel reached out his hand, palm facing down, so that it hovered just above Lync. The pink haired teen glared up at him icily, clearly guessing his intentions. Airzel just stared, disinterestedly, down at him. That was when Mylene took a chance.

She was a dark blue blur as her arm whipped out from beneath her cloak, bringing with it her Electro Whip. Airzel didn't even have time to react as it connected, tearing through the fabric covering his calf. Suddenly, his back arched, his mouth open in a silent scream, as his body was paralyzed by the electric current running through the weapon. And then his eyes rolled up in his head, his knees gave out beneath him, and he fell to the ground. For a moment, he lay there, convulsing, but his body quickly stilled, save for the labored rising and falling of his chest.

The whole episode lasted about ten seconds.

"Holy crap!" Shadow exclaimed, shooting to his feet. He launched himself at Mylene, who had retracted the whip almost instantaneously, and flung his arms around her. His signature cackle filled their ears, broken occasionally by his shouts of glee. "You are the most amazing, insanely awesome, best girlfriend a guy could _ever_ ask for!" he cried, looking disturbingly similar to an ecstatic child on Christmas morning. He then leaned in close to her ear and whispered something that Dan didn't catch, but Mylene didn't react combustibly like usual. She just rolled her eyes, but planted a light kiss on his cheek all the same, one that surprised Dan almost as much as seeing Airzel. She must have been rather shaken up if she was willing to show PDA for once. Either that, or Shadow was really laying on the flattery.

Dan was brought out of his musings by Joe's rushing forward urgently. He pushed Volt and Hydron out of the way and dropped to his knees beside Lync, who grimaced up at him with a forced grin.

"Help me get his shirt off," Joe ordered. Dan dropped to his knees beside Hydron and helped Joe to gently tug the charred garment off of him. Lync whimpered but cooperated, wincing all the while. Joe frowned as he looked him over, taking in the complicated fern-like markings that came with being struck by lightning.

"Where's it hurt worst?" he asked. Lync painstakingly lifted his left arm and gestured to the center of his chest, at the apex of the burn marks. Joe swallowed and licked his lips, tracing the intricate pattern with his eyes.

"That strike was not as powerful as it could have been," Sid shared from his position at the side of one of the hallways. He was peering down it, scanning for approaching enemies, no doubt. Shadow, Volt and Mylene had taken up similar positions at the other openings while Rin hovered halfway between Mylene and the group around Lync. She was clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation and didn't know who she should be sticking close to. For the most part, Airzel's unconscious form was being ignored.

"What do you mean?" Dan asked while Joe continued examining Lync. "How did you know he was coming?"

"Gundalians have a way of communicating organically," Sid explained. "We don't need phones or Baku-meters to make contact with each other. Instead, we can just put a hand over our ear and speak, and the person we're trying to talk to will hear us. But we only get that ability when we reach maturity, which is usually around sixteen or seventeen, and I'm seventeen.

"The same goes for the lightning. We can control how much energy we put into it and keep it within a desired range, if we practice with it. Airzel could have killed Lync; trust me, I know he's capable. But he kept it low enough just to hurt.

"He was aiming for you, Dan," Sid said grimly. Dan tensed. "But Pinky over there stepped funny and wound up getting hit with the shot. I blocked the rest." As if for good measure, Sid held out his hand, showing off a small display of red and white lightning sparks that danced along the contours of his palm. Dan looked on, intrigued, until he closed his fist and went back to glaring down the hallway. "Gill and Stoica are also walking around here, somewhere. They've all got a map on them so they can look around for you without getting lost. Hydron, see if you can find it." Hydron did as was suggested and headed over to Airzel. "That Anubias guy is hanging out at the end."

"Alright, that means two down, three to go," Dan surmised. He frowned. "Where's Barodius during all this?" Sid shrugged.

"Dunno. Didn't mention 'im." Dan growled, frustrated.

"Okay, Lync, this is gonna hurt for a bit, but it'll feel great afterwards," Joe said, attracting the attention of the others. "Are you okay with that?"

"Dude," Lync replied through clenched teeth, "I don't really care as long as I can punch that bastard in the face when you're done." Joe grinned wryly, then glanced over his shoulder at Rin.

"Hey, Rin, come here for a sec." She started.

"Huh? Why?" she asked, distrustfully. Joe shrugged. He looked up at her with a benign grin.

"I just thought you might like to see something cool. You're going to join up with Kazarina and them after we get out of here, right?" Dan bristled but a warning hand from Hydron stopped him from speaking. She was silent, just watching the sandy brunette with obvious wariness. He smiled serenely. "If that's the case, this'll be your only chance to see it." She scanned his face for a moment, considering the offer.

"What is this 'cool thing'?" she asked, her curiosity winning out. _Or maybe she just recognizes him,_ Dan thought, _since he must have been the last human she saw before they were captured… _She strode over to him and stood across from Dan, shooting him a distrustful glare as she peered down at Lync beside Joe.

"This," Joe said, his expression becoming serious as he placed a hand against Lync's bruising, burned chest, and then wrapped the other around Rin's left wrist. She stiffened and Lync gasped in pain, just like Dan had when Joe healed his wrists, but Joe didn't apologize this time. Instead, he breathed in deeply, then slowly dispelled it, and a brilliant rainbow glow began to shine from his hands. Lync and Rin's shoulders both relaxed at the same time as the healing energy flowed, and even Dan enjoyed the wonderful sensation of bliss as the air vibrated with it. Each time he experienced it, it seemed to feel even better than the last, boosting his spirits and leaving him feeling rejuvenated.

His eyes flicked to Rin, whose eyes were closed in contentment. The bloody welts on her face were closing, the bruises on her neck and face fading. Dan glanced (chastely) at her chest, where he recognized the intricate spiderwebbing of lightning burns, but smiled in relief as they grew lighter, even though they didn't disappear altogether. The electrocautery burn lining her jaw faded as well, allowing the skin previously pulled painfully taut (Dan knew how much it hurt and was glad she was being spared the pain) to once again be given slack as it became covered with pink scar tissue. He imagined his own three rings looked similar beneath his bandage. A contented sigh passed her lips. Dan smiled and stepped over Lync to stand beside her.

She was beautiful, bruises and healing cuts or no. Dan lifted his arms and rested them on her shoulders, and then leaned in. He was unable to help himself. It had been so long since he felt her thin frame in his arms. And even though he knew he didn't deserve it, he just couldn't help it. She was here, standing in front of him. He was finally together with the girl he loved, even though she didn't remember him.

His lips brushed against her cheek, and though she didn't respond, he knew she noticed. He felt her shoulders give a little jerk in surprise, but she didn't pull away.

And then her forehead creased and Joe let go of her wrist, his face pale and clammy. Dan pulled back and looked down at him in concern, but the sandy-haired boy just forced a tired smile at him and turned his attention back to Lync. Dan focused on Rin.

Her lips were set in a firm line, her eyes pressed shut and her face screwed up as if in pain. The stitches that protruded from her cheek, still holding together the mostly healed cut, were pulled taut. Then, she gasped and her eyes shot open, revealing their usual, dazzling green. Dan's heart soared as she blinked, looking slightly surprised. She was back! She was back!

And then she saw Dan, and their eyes met. Time seemed to freeze. Everyone else melted into the background. It was just the two of them, alone in a Field belonging only to them.

Runo's green eyes widened and her arms rose, and she looked almost as if she were about to launch herself into his arms. About to reconcile and melt into his form. About to surrender her anger and pain and simply lose herself in his embrace.

But she stopped herself.

Dan had a sudden sense of déjà vu to the time when he returned from New Vestroia and saw her in the cafe. She had reacted similarly, almost hugging him but then stopping, her hands hovering in the air as though she didn't know what to do with them.

But she didn't yell out in anger and slap him across the face that time.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh. I keep ending with her snapping out of it. Gaaaah.<strong>

**Again, FIND THE PARALLELISM! And not the one that was so conveniently lampshaded here at the end. I will draw you something!**

**Anyway, thank you so much for reading! I'll update in 2 weeks!**

**Review!**


	32. Reunion

**"You went and broke the wrong heart, baby, and drove me redneck crazy," —Redneck Crazy, Tyler Farr**

* * *

><p>"You no-good son of a <em>bitch!<em>" Runo screamed, raining down blows on Dan's shocked figure. No one else moved, apparently so shocked by her reaction that they were stunned into speechlessness. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you? You leave me behind again and again, never call, never text, never write, never _visit_ and then you decide to contact me out of the blue with a letter saying that you want to break up!" Even though the maelstrom of abuse he was receiving, Dan physically _felt_ the chill of Mylene's glare on his back. "As if our relationship status wasn't already crystal clear!"

"I wasn't gonna send that letter!" was all Dan could say. He backed away and held up his hands in submission.

"Likely story!" she shot back. "Drago said you were going to send it the morning you disappeared! Only, since you vanished into thin air, the police were left to find it instead! And since _they_ are actually courteous, they waited until _I_ got there to open it!"

Dan had grown more and more pale as her tirade continued, and by the last sentence, all of the blood had drained out of his face. His cheeks were ashen. He was only beginning to understand just how much trouble he was in.

"What the hell were you _thinking_?" she snarled, a trace of her heartbreak leaking through her voice. "We're best friends with a kid _who owns a private jet!_ All it would have taken was one question and you could have come and visited! You could have reconfigured an access point to let you out in Wardington! Heck, you could have gotten a job and bought a plane ticket yourself! It's not like your parents would object; you practically gallivant to other worlds every other weekend! Or maybe it _is_ every weekend! How would I know? You never call _me_ to tell me what's going on in your life! And you at least get _two phone calls_ a _month_ from _me_!"

Dan's eyes flicked to Hydron and the others for help, but they were staying out of it. Sid and Volt were staring at him, eyes wide, while Hydron just sighed and pressed his hand against his face. Lync just gaped at him, and Dan's sense of panic grew.

"Runo, please, just give me a second—"

"No, Dan Kuso!" she snarled.

"But, Runo, just listen to—"

"Shut UP," she shrieked, jerking forward with the force of her exclamation, and Dan's mouth closed with an audible click. "Dan Kuso, I have been to hell and back in the past three weeks. I lost my best friend because of you!" He could see her eyes were filling up with tears that she was struggling to keep back. Her cheeks flushed.

"I-I'm sorry," was all Dan could think to say. He was clearly at a loss for words. It was all he could do just to meet her eyes, and yet, at the same time, it was impossible to look away. Even though they were filled with the most anger and rage than he'd ever seen in his life, they were her eyes, and, for some reason, he never wanted to stop gazing at them.

Her glare softened a bit at this admission, her eyes narrowing in confusion, and he finally had the courage (or cowardice) to rip his eyes from hers. "I really messed up, Runo," he mumbled softly. "I never meant to do that to you. I never meant for any of you to get involved," he looked around at the group assembled around them guiltily before focusing on the blue-haired girl again, "but especially not you, Runo." She seemed to realize then that they had an audience, but brushed it off easily in her anger.

"Yeah, well, I am involved," she seethed. "I was involved from the very beginning. From the day we met on that damn baseball field, I was involved in your life! So why did you shut me out? You just cut me out of the picture, like I never mattered to you! Like I was just…just…ARGH!" She fell silent, unable to continue her sentence. Dan closed his eyes in shame.

She didn't speak for a moment, and one of the onlookers used the opportunity to cough and catch Dan's attention. Dan looked up slowly, his face red, while observing Runo continue to glare at something out of the corner of his eye. It was Sid who had coughed, and he actually looked embarrassed for once.

"Uh, I know this isn't a good time, but if you could worry about your relationship status _after_ we get out of here, I think we'd all be appreciative," he growled. Runo shot him a glare that almost rivaled that of Mylene, but she complied without saying a word. That reaction in and of itself left Dan speechless. She bent down and helped Joe to his feet, causing him to blink rapidly to fight off more dizziness. Dan, left with no other choice, helped Lync to retrieve his shirt and pulled him to his feet as well.

"You good?" he asked quietly, taking in the newly healed skin and faded lightning marks on Lync's chest before he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Y-yeah," Lync nodded uncomfortably. "I feel better than I have in the past few weeks, actually..." He brushed off his shirt, causing a few flakes of charred synthetic fibers to flutter to the ground like snow. Dan glanced over his shoulder at Runo, who was standing near Joe as he leaned against a few crates, dutifully ignoring him.

He was almost surprised by how much her cold shoulder hurt.

The Ventus brawler guessed what his eyes were focused on and shot him an embarrassed but sympathetic look. Dan sighed. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked to Hydron.

"Did you get that map, then?" he questioned, hollowly.

"Yeah," the former prince replied, holding up a Vestal-type communicator. He tapped the center buttons a few times until the image he wanted appeared. Dan could tell it was the map of the maze from the reverse image he could see from his position a few feet away. He didn't have to look over Hydron's shoulder to know that it was huge. He couldn't even see the individual paths. Clearly, that wasn't what Hydron had been expecting. His eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of it.

"Oh geez," he muttered. "Lync, can I see that map of yours?" Lync came to his side eagerly and held up his paper beside the holographic map, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Dan noticed an excited glint in his eyes as he took in the image on the communicator, and he smirked in anticipation as he glanced between the two.

"Why don't you let me figure it out?" Lync suggested, holding out his hand. Hydron sighed and forked over the communicator.

"Better you than me," he muttered, turning around. He stared in Dan's direction, presumably to give him an encouraging word regarding his relationship status, but the glare Mylene sent him would have been enough to make a Secret Service officer stop in his tracks. They both saw it, and when Hydron sent him an apologetic glance, Dan just smiled in understanding. No one in their right mind would risk Mylene's wrath, and Hydron was no exception.

So Dan simply settled for leaning against the wall of crates, staring miserably at Runo's turned head like a kicked puppy. Although, he supposed he deserved it. He realized with a bit of terror that she probably would have acted like this regardless of whether or not he wrote that letter. After all, everything that she had said was true. It was with a sinking stomach that he digested her accusations. They were all true.

But what did she mean that she had lost her best friend because of him?

Runo reached under her cape and pulled out an object about the size of a ring box, only clear with metal stripes running down the sides. She stared at it for a moment, looking disgusted with herself, before she pulled it open. She tipped it onto it's side and a white ball fell out—a white ball that Dan recognized.

_Tigrerra?_ he thought, eyes wide. He walked over to Runo, stopping a safe distance away, but stared at Tigrerra in distress. No sooner had he thought of her name did she pop eagerly out of her ball, shaking each one of her individual appendages as if they were stiff.

"What happened…?" she asked groggily. Runo hiccoughed.

"Oh, Tigrerra," she choked out. She pressed Tigrerra against her cheek. "I am _so_ sorry! I didn't know what I was doing; I am so, _so_ sorry!"

"Runo…" Tigrerra murmured. She seemed to come to her senses after a moment of Runo's sniffing, and then her voice took on the consoling tone of a mother. "Oh Runo…it's alright…"

"Runo," came a masculine voice, revealing itself to be Splight when he popped out on her shoulder. "Please, do not be upset. I should have been stronger; strong enough to break free of that witch's claws."

"Both of you, knock it off! It's _my_ fault," Runo insisted, a tear falling down her cheek. "If only I hadn't let her hold me…"

"You didn't let her hold you," Splight replied insistently. Runo hiccoughed. "You broke out of her clutches not once, but _twice_ on your own."

"You did _what?_" Sid exclaimed, drawing everyone's gazes. Even Lync looked up from his map-deciphering at the intensity of his voice. Runo stared at him in alarm, taking in his startled face. "You broke out of her hypnosis _twice?_ By _yourself?_"

"Yes, she did," Splight confirmed. Sid just gazed at her in amazement. Runo glanced around in seeming confusion when her eyes landed on Dan, who had a similar expression on his face. She bristled.

"What?" she snapped at him. Her cheeks reddened, and Dan flinched.

"No, it's just…that shouldn't be possible," he stammered, engulfed in his surprise. Runo took it the wrong way and snapped, insulted.

"Why?" she snarled. "Because I should be weak? Because I should always need saving?"

"What?" Dan exclaimed, utterly confused. "Runo, no, that's not what I'm saying at all!"

"Kazarina's hypnosis is extremely potent," Sid interrupted, much to Dan's relief, but he stared at Runo throughout the explanation with a hurt expression. She simply turned her attention to Sid and ignored him. "It is almost impossible to break out of it on your own when she really wants to hold on to you. Which I'm assuming she did."

"Kazarina hypnotized Jake," Dan added cautiously, watching Runo with a wary eye. She glanced at him with guarded curiosity. "And the hypnosis she used on him was different from what she used on the kids they kidnapped from Interspace. Losing battles didn't snap him out of it, and he didn't act like a mindless drone. He had personality, but it was like he was a completely different person."

"That sounds right," Sid growled. "That's what a true Hypnosis Master can do. Completely suppress your will and then rewrite a whole new one over it."

"Hypnosis Master?" Hydron asked.

"Yeah, what's that?" Dan seconded.

"It's a Gundalian with an unusually powerful ability to hypnotize," Sid groused. It seemed as though the position of explanation giver was irritating him. "Usually, they've spent a long time in a special school to perfect the skill and when they graduate they get the title. But Kazarina is just that skilled; she doesn't need a piece of paper to tell her she's a master. Her skills speak for themselves."

He looked to Runo with an expression just short of a glare. "That's why we're surprised. It's _impossible_ to break out of her hypnosis at the drop of a hat."

"Got it!" Lync cried out triumphantly just as Runo opened her mouth to challenge the Pyrus brawler. Everyone immediately turned their attention to him as he rose to his feet, tapping the communicator screen. "We're here." A red dot appeared somewhere near the beginning fourth of the maze. "The end is over here." Another red dot appeared, this one on the other side. Mylene walked over to him and peered over his shoulder to get a closer look. "You see these blue paths?" he asked, glancing at her and pointing to several blue lines that traversed the image. Dan realized as he stepped closer that those were paths, and that the black lines were the walls of crates. Mylene nodded. "Those are multiple solutions to the maze."

"They were considerate, I see," she commented savagely. Lync squirmed a bit, clearly wary of making the wrong comment in reply, but she just waved him off. "Can you get us to the exit?"

"Y-yes," he stammered in reply, glancing at the map before heading to the nearest pathway. "But the other guys have the same map. We're gonna have to be careful."

"I can help with that," came an unexpected voice from above. The group gasped and Dan actually jumped, his eyes widening. The sound of shoes touching down behind him made him whirl around, and a huge smile broke out on his face.

"Shun!" he exclaimed ecstatically. The ninja smiled, his eyes brighter than Dan had ever seen them.

"It's good to see you, Dan," he replied, sounding more than just relieved. Dan crossed the distance between them in a second and the two embraced in the manner than boys do, a tight hug with a sharp clap on the back. Dan winced at that, but didn't complain. The whip lashes might have healed externally, but clearly, not everything was completely repaired. When they separated, Shun stepped back and looked Dan over properly, taking in faded bruises and scars that hadn't been there the last time he'd seen him. His amber eyes lingered on Dan's red ones. The slightly haunted look, however faded from the presence of friends, was not missed, and the ninja's eyes narrowed.

"Where did you come from?" Joe asked from the side, drawing Shun's gaze. He wasn't fazed and apparently expected his presence.

"Mira, Keith, Alice and I got here a few hours ago," he explained. "We were studying the Death Bomb to see if we could find Mylene and Shadow." He looked over Dan's shoulder at said Aquos and Darkus brawlers, both of whom had finally managed to mask their surprise at his appearance. However, at this explanation, their mouths dropped again, and Mylene looked outright stupefied.

"Spectra?" she breathed. "Spectra's here?"

"The _brawlers_ have been looking for _us?_" Lync exclaimed in utter shock. Dan glanced at the others behind him, taking in their stunned expressions. Runo was the only one that didn't seem surprised by this information; she was watching Shun with a look of relief on her face. "Shouldn't you have been a little preoccupied with looking for Dan?"

"We ran out of leads a while ago," Shun explained. He was eyeing the group with obvious distrust, but a grudging respect as well. He answered curtly, in a voice that was as devoid of respect as a tundra is devoid of warmth. "The only thing we had to go on was a Gundalian guy that started leading Chaos Bakugan into Bakugan Interspace." Dan and Runo gasped, both horrified for different reasons.

Suddenly, green and black lightning filling the air, sending everyone diving for the floor. Dan, Shun and Runo landed in a startled heap, but Dan reacted quickly. Once the crackling died down, he sat up immediately, a reaction Shun mimicked a second later. Airzel was propped up on one knee, hand out where lightning had shot, but his figure was distorted and his face frozen in shock. Dan blinked in confusion; it was as if the air between them had been replaced by a glass partition, a glass tinged with a myriad of colors.

Then the glass began to flicker, and Dan realized what it was. His eyes flicked to Joe, who had his face scrunched up and his arms pressed against his chest in concentration. A slight, almost unnoticeable glow had surrounded him. He was fighting to keep the shield up, but Dan could tell he was almost out of energy.

"Joe!" he shouted, "I need you to hold it for one minute! Can you do that?" He got a grunt and a hysterical nod in reply, and the shield flickered back to life. Shun was staring, quite obviously flabbergasted, but Dan ignored him. "Lync!" he cried next, attracting the startled teen's attention. "You said any of these paths can lead to the exit?"

"Yeah, but—"

"We're splitting up!" Dan lowered his voice to a loud whisper, just loud enough for those close to him to hear. Lync's eyes widened in horror, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Dan silenced him. "Lync, you take Joe and the others and get out with the map. Shun and I'll get out another way!"

"What are you, nuts?" Mylene hissed angrily from where she was getting to her feet. "You don't have a map!" As if on command, Shun snatched the communicator from Lync's hand, stared at it intently for a few seconds, and then handed it back to the bristling teen. He gave Dan a nod; he had memorized the way out.

"I have Shun; we'll be fine," Dan hissed back. "They'll come after me and you guys will get out safe!"

"Dan—" Hydron started, but Dan cut him off.

"There's no time to argue about this!" he snapped, getting to his feet beside Shun. "Runo, go with Mylene and the others!"

"Oh, _hell_ no!" she snarled. "I'm going with you!"

"Runo—" Dan growled, but it was then that Joe let out a strangled shout of pain, and the shield fizzled out loudly. Dan swore, grabbed Runo's hand, and shot down the nearest path. He briefly witnessed from the corner of his eye that Hydron snatched Joe's hand and yanked him to his feet before the crates obscured his view, forcing him to trust the others to follow his directions. That was when he realized Shun had disappeared. "Shun!" he shouted, searching from side to side wildly in fear for his best friend.

"Up here!" Shun responded, drawing Dan's gaze upward. Shun was running along the top of the crates, apparently surveying the area from the air. Dan allowed a bit of tension to slip from his shoulders, and when Shun told him to make a right, he did so without question. He had the aerial view. He knew Shun was the one in the know right now.

"Take the second path!" Shun called from above, and Dan did as he was told, yanking Runo with him. Her hand was tight around his own, holding on with terror and, perhaps, trust. Although Dan guessed that if she did trust him, it was only because of their current situation.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and Dan dove for the ground, dragging Runo with him. The hall exploded with green lightning and Runo screamed, revealing Airzel was hot on their tail. As soon as it died down, Dan yanked her to her feet, startled to hear the telltale sound of something hitting flesh, followed by a loud grunt of pain.

The pair whirled around and some of Runo's hair whipped Dan in the face, but the sharp stings of pain were ignored as they stared, taking in Shun as he landed gracefully in a crouch several feet away from the man he had just kicked in the face. The ninja rose to his feet quickly and turned to face the two of them, eyes wide with urgency. "Come on," he urged, dashing down the hallway at a pace that was at least humanly possible to match. Dan and Runo followed without question as he lead them through the paths, occasionally separating from them to run along the tops of the crates and get a better look around. They left Airzel behind, rubbing at his badly bruised jaw and obviously nursing a growing grudge against Dan.

The Pyrus brawler dreaded the idea of being caught. The first few weeks had been bad, sure, but he knew he was in for it if they managed to get their hands on him again. Forget escaping and running around the facility; laying a hand on Kazarina was nothing short of signing his own death warrant. She would make his life _hell_ if they caught him. She'd probably spend _days_ just torturing him inside his own head—and then she'd break out the electrocautery again.

Dan shook off the morbid thought. He was getting out of here. Shun was here now, and so were Alice, Mira and Keith! There was no _way_ he wasn't getting out of here!

Runo was breathing heavily behind him, and Dan was also starting to feel the effects of the prolonged physical activity. It had been weeks since he'd done something like this, he realized. His abilities had definitely diminished since then, and his weakness alarmed him. Thankfully, Shun chose that moment to drop down from his position above, for the first time not hitting the ground running.

"I think we've got a decent head start," he said breathily. It was the closest Dan had ever seen him come to panting. He fixed his gaze on Dan. "You okay?"

"Fine," Dan replied between pants, letting go of Runo's hand to rest his hands on his knees. She pushed her bangs out of her face as her chest rose and fell visibly. Her cheeks were flushed, revealing several white patches that marked scars invisible otherwise. Shun didn't miss it, nor did he gloss over Dan's recently healed wounds. His eyes lingered on the bandage on his arm, a detail Dan missed as he caught his breath.

"What happened to your arm?" Shun asked. Dan straightened up and glanced from his friend to his arm before biting his lip.

"Kazarina," he settled for after a moment of debating what to tell him. Shun's eyes narrowed and Dan grimaced at him. He knew that expression.

"How bad?"

"Pretty bad," Dan summarized, recalling the intense throes that robbed him of sleep and the hours he had spent rubbing at the burns with a towel in an attempt to relieve some of the unbearable itching. All that wound up doing was intensifying his pain, however, and made the whole ordeal even worse.

"How are you doing, Runo?" Shun asked next, turning his attention to her. Runo looked at him, and Dan noticed immediately how his eyes flicked to hers, seeking confirmation that she had, indeed, broken out of Kazarina's clutches. His shoulders sagged with relief when he realized it was her normal forest green eyes looking back at him, featuring with a similar expression.

"I'm alright," she said strongly, obviously still tense. However, she didn't appear as shaken as she had been earlier. Dan realized as he watched her that her stoic demeanor had returned, the one he had seen in the old days. In a way, it was comforting, but also upsetting. The Gundalians were forcing her back onto a path she had left behind, and it was changing her.

Suddenly, Dan recalled what Shun had shared earlier.

"They're attacking Bakugan Interspace?" he demanded, enraged. Runo grimaced.

"Yeah," she confirmed. Dan turned to her in surprise, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. "They're sending in waves of Chaos Bakugan to wreak havoc."

"Why?" Shun and Dan asked at the same time. Runo grimaced.

"They said something about gathering Chaos Energy…"

"Chaos Energy?" Dan repeated. The words felt familiar—eerily familiar. He tested them on his tongue again. "Chaos Energy…"

"What is it?" Shun questioned.

"It just…sounds familiar," he muttered, rubbing his chin. "Where have I heard that before?"

Suddenly, Shun stiffened and his head snapped to the side. Dan and Runo both tensed beside him, nervous. The ninja's eyes narrowed.

"Stay here," he said before leaping onto the top of the wall of crates. Dan opened his mouth to call after him, but Shun chose that precise moment to look back down at him and raise a warning finger to his lips. Dan closed his maw in silence and clenched his fists nervously. He didn't notice that Runo drew close to him in her anxiety, as both eyes were flicked back and forth between Shun crouching above them and the end of the hall he was watching.

Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps reached their ears, and, though Shun appeared as stoic as a snow leopard, both Dan and Runo flinched. However, the sound was muffled, and it took a moment for Dan to realize that whoever was running was running on the other side of the partition upon which Shun was perched. Looking up at him, Dan watched as Shun's head swiveled to track the runner, until the footsteps faded. The ninja remained above for a moment longer—perhaps waiting for whoever it was to round a corner—before he jumped down to rejoin the pair below.

"That was Gil," he shared. "He's heading back toward Airzel. My guess is that they're gonna team up and head after us."

"That's bad," Dan said, for lack of other words. "How far are we from the exit?"

"We're about halfway there," Shun said. "We've gotta move."

"Okay," Dan replied.

"Sounds good," Runo echoed, and they broke into a run—all striving for freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>Er….8 pages and 4275 words later, aaaand <em>we're still in the maze<em>. I guess I knew it would take a few chapters but _ohmygoshtheywouldnotshutUP._ **

**Don't kill me!**

**Review!**


	33. The Shard

**A/N**

**Nice, loooong chapter here.**

**You will hate me at the end of it. Oh, BOY, will you hate me.**

* * *

><p><strong>"Lloyd, you are a kind person. But if you allow your kindness to interfere with your judgement, you're merely weak," —Presea Combatir, Tales of Symphonia<strong>

* * *

><p>Dan, Runo, and Shun had taken off at a run again to keep ahead of their pursuers, whose progress Shun would occasionally double back to check. Each time, he returned more and more tense and urged the pair from their brief rest to send them sprinting down another hall, all in the quest of the exit to the minefield outside.<p>

It wasn't for another fifteen minutes that they heard the telltale crackling of lightning as it split the air farther down the maze. The lights in the room flickered ominously—or maybe the lightning was just so bright that it made everything else seem darker in comparison. The three of them froze instinctively. Dan and Runo exchanged panicked glances, and then they searched above them for their friend, the ninja.

"Shun!" Dan hissed. The ninja spared him no more than a glance before disappearing in search of the source of the commotion, leaving Dan and Runo to themselves.

By now, they knew the drill. They quickly ducked into one of the side paths, one that, after a brief moment of investigation, revealed itself to be a dead end. They nestled themselves just out of sight inside of it, hidden by the vile crates meant to confound them. It was almost ironic, Runo would realize later, that the very devices put in place to trip them up wound up being so useful to them.

Dan and Runo waited in silence, close but not so that they touched. They were careful of that. Eye contact was also avoided, and speaking was mutually understood to be definitely out. After all, what would they say to each other?

Runo was far above simply apologizing—after all, the fault had never been her own, anyway! Dan deserved the cold shoulder after all of his desertion. How could he expect the two of them to just fall back into their previous state of companionship when they hadn't been in contact for so long?

Dan wasn't sure what to do. He knew he'd messed up, but he highly doubted that any apology was going to get her to warm up to him again. He wanted to deny her accusations—he wanted it badly. He wanted to insist that she was simply overreacting, that she would calm down over time. More than anything, he wanted to pretend he hadn't done anything wrong. The voice in his head, though, his conscience, well… it wouldn't have that. He had really done it this time.

On top of that, it was his fault that Runo was involved in this at all. She may have been involved in his life ever since they met in the baseball field, but it was his fault and his alone that she had been used against their friends. It was his fault that she had been captured and tortured. His fault that she now bore scars that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

All of it—all of her pain from his not speaking to her, all of the agony she suffered on sleepless nights he now supposed he caused, all her invisible trepidations she hadn't yet shared—they were all because of him.

The guilt was intense and, honestly, surprised him. He never thought it was possible to feel this bad. He had never hurt someone this much before, and the knowledge that he had was excruciating. Truly, this was the worst torture. It far surpassed anything Kazarina could have possibly concocted—even a hypnotized Runo telling him she hated him was preferable to this. But he knew that this was truly Runo—these were her true feelings. He was to blame.

And it hurt.

He lifted his gaze from the floor to turn his eyes to Runo, who was trying to peer around the corner. She was tense, her lips pressed together in a thin, tense line, but instead of fear, defiance glittered in her eyes. Defiance and...something else.

Splight and Tigrerra were both waiting above, on top of the crates piled high above them, as lookouts. A pair that would not be easily spotted but had eyes on all things nearby. They would warn them if Airzel and Gill approached. Perhaps that was why she was so calm. After all, she probably found it easier to trust them than Dan at the moment.

Dan dropped his eyes again, forcing his thoughts in another direction. Drago. He'd think about Drago. A bit of guilt poked at him. He had barely given his partner much thought in the past few hours; surely, he deserved more. He thought about that mysterious vision he'd had all those nights ago-the one where Drago pulled and something shifted.

Something felt wrong when he thought of it, like there had been a rift in their relationship. The feeling that coursed through him seemed to remind him of what he was experiencing with Runo, a sort of desire to be together again but a strange foreboding along with it. It was weird, and totally unlike anything he'd ever experienced with his partner before. The only thing that came close to it was after he tossed Drago off the bridge, but even though it was similar, it wasn't the same.

Something wasn't right.

He considered asking Runo about it, but then thought better of it. He had a feeling she would not respond with a positive contribution.

And there he was, back on the thought train that was bound to derail. But what could he say? _Runo, you know I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted…_ No, that wouldn't appease her at all. _Runo, I love you so much…_ But that would probably earn him a verbal lashing. _When I left, I never meant to hurt you, Runo. I was just…I didn't want to say goodbye._ Now that made him sound like a weak boy afraid of confrontation.

This was stupid! Dan groaned silently and mentally smacked himself. He'd stared down dictators, fought to keep the universe from being taken over by evil over and over! Why was apologizing to one girl so hard?!

_Because that one girl is Runo_, he thought miserably.

In the end, though, she saved him the effort.

"Why did you just leave?" she asked quietly, dropping her gaze and tilting her head forward so that, when she lifted her eyes again, they peeked through her bangs and gave her the appearance of a broken child. The effect the look had on Dan was instantaneous. His cheeks immediately flushed and his mind was wiped blank. Every fragmented apology he had been in the process of forming went up in smoke. He had no idea how to respond. He just stared down at her, blushing, with a helpless look on his face.

When she realized he wasn't going to say anything, her eyebrows came together in frustration and she returned to her stiff and silent vigil, while Dan floundered for a response.

He couldn't find one. His jagged toenails (he had taken up the nervous habit of picking at them with the lack of other things to do) were suddenly more interesting than the beautiful girl beside him. "I guess…I just wasn't thinking…" he mumbled. She scoffed and he squirmed. "I'm sorry," he offered, on account of being unable to offer anything else.

She didn't reply.

They stood in silence for a few minute more, until she started a new topic. "Why are the Vexos here?"

"They came to investigate something from the nearest city," Dan treaded carefully, hoping to avoid stepping on any of her tripwires. This was a safer subject, but not by much. It was easier to talk to her when he didn't look at her. "They settled down there, after they got sent here by the Death Bombs. Since then, they stuck together and got jobs." He paused. "They're not the same as they were before."

He misstepped.

"How are you so sure?" Runo asked icily. Dan balked.

"What do you mean?"

Another wrong move.

"How are you so sure that they've converted?" she questioned in irritation. "They seem the same as they were to me!"

"You've never even _met_ them!" Dan responded indignantly.

He came tumbling down.

The fury in her eyes as he met them was startling. "I've met Mylene and Lync," she hissed. "And Shadow Prove, in case you don't remember! The only one that's any different is Lync! How are you so sure they're not gonna turn on you as soon as we get to the end? All they care about is saving their own skins!"

"What's gotten into you?" Dan whispered heatedly back. Forget treading carefully; he was sprawled on his back with a knife to his throat now. And, par for the course, he was instigating his captor. "They've been helping me out for the past three weeks!"

"Only because you've all been tossed into the same sinking boat!" Dan just stared at her.

It was at that moment—that glorious moment—that Shun returned, saving Dan from replying in a way that was sure to be disastrous no matter who he defended. The knife was sheathed for the moment. "What happened?" Dan asked immediately, his voice too loud as he tried to gloss over the obvious tension between himself and his ex-girlfriend. Shun glared at him warningly, and Dan grimaced at his mistake.

This just wasn't his day.

"Mylene hit Stoica right when he came around a corner with her whip. He's out cold. They got separated from Hydron, Sid and Joe. Once I get you guys over to them, I'm gonna go look for them."

"Okay," Dan said, fighting to keep his gaze off Runo. Thankfully, she kept her mouth shut and simply nodded. Splight and Tigrerra dropped down to join their brawler, and they once again began their sprint through the maze.

* * *

><p>Mira and her brother were just getting into a complicated discussion of politics that Alice could barely comprehend when Mira's communicator beeped shrilly. She pulled it out of her pocket in surprise.<p>

"It's a message," she announced.

"Who's it from?" Keith asked.

"Shun…" Her surprise lingered in her voice as she opened it. "Huh…?"

"What is it?" Alice asked, and both she and Keith proceeded to peer over her shoulders at the message.

"Those are blueprints," Keith remarked. He blinked. "Huh, those look familiar…"

"Really?" his sister questioned. She blinked her blue eyes up at him.

"It…reminds me of something I saw a while back," he replied slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, "when I was working with Father on Bakugan and New Vestroia research. Remember how there used to be seven cities that were going to be colonizing New Vestroia?"

"_Seven_?" Alice repeated, looking appalled. Keith nodded.

Mira frowned before nodding her assent. "This reminds me of one of the blueprints for Omicron city. It was for a military barracks, I believe."

"What use would they have for a military on New Vestroia?" Alice asked. "The only creatures they would be fighting would be Bakugan, and the only way to do that is with either another Bakugan or a Dimension Controller."

"I don't remember the reasons," Keith dismissed easily, "but that was the intended purpose. But how did Shun get those blueprints?"

"There's more," Mira shared, drawing the pair's attention back to the communicator. She tapped a button and the blinking indicator enlarged, becoming the message Mira promised. "'Head five miles to the East past the city. You'll find the building whose blueprints are attached. Hurry, but do _not approach the building_ under _any_ circumstances.'" Mira tapped a few keys on the communicator. "That's all."

"…Why do you think he said, 'do not approach'?" Alice questioned nervously. She clasped her hands in front of her.

"Does it matter?" growled Helios, who had popped out on Keith's shoulder. "Whatever the reason is, I'll crush it."

"Brother?" Mira said quietly. "What do you want to do?" He blinked, looking down at her in confusion.

"Why are you asking me, Mira?" She stared at him.

"Why wouldn't I ask you?"

"Shun is a member of the Resistance. He falls under _your_ jurisdiction, not mine," he told her seriously. "That means his decisions and warnings are yours to interpret." Mira bit her lip. After a moment of silence, he smiled and said, teasingly, "You're telling me you can run a whole planet and face down the Council and not bat an eye, but you can't make a call now? Come on, where's the fearless leader I know?"

Mira's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. He had a point. _He doesn't make all the tough decisions. A lot, but not all of them,_ she thought to herself, but she understood his point. Wilda popped out on her shoulder, but remained silent. She could feel his eyes on her as they awaited her decision. "Alice, has he ever said something like that in the past? 'Do not approach'?"

Alice glanced to the side as she thought. "Um, no, I don't think so. But if he had to put a warning in, it probably means that it's dangerous to get too close. Maybe there's a trap of some sort."

"The Vexos booby trapped their hideout?" Wilda suggested.

"That doesn't sound right," Keith muttered. "They're out in the middle of nowhere. If I remember right, that building should have enough security cameras to see three hundred sixty degrees. I don't think Mylene would do something like that-it's superfluous."

"While you all are sitting around discussing this," Helios grumbled, "we're wasting valuable time we could be spending _walking_. He did say to hurry, didn't he?" Alice's cheeks got red and Mira sighed.

_Right. You're the leader now, Mira. Lead._

"He's right. We can talk on way," she gave in, starting the trek herself by being the first to move. Keith and Alice fell in behind her, and they continued past the city that had been their original destination.

* * *

><p>True to his word, the moment he saw that Dan, Runo and the majority of the Vexos were together again, Shun vanished in pursuit of the three stragglers. Dan and Runo were left to follow Lync's map, albeit at a faster rate now that he had marked out the route they were to take. Shun took the unconscious Stoica's map when he headed out, figuring a little extra orientation couldn't hurt. Also, the fewer references their enemies had, the slower their progress through the maze would be.<p>

Mylene and Volt insisted the group move quickly, a notion that Dan was quick to approve, especially since he knew the Gundalians were _hot_ on their tails. Not only were Airzel and Gill closing in, but surely they had found Stoica by now(they had deposited him at the heart of a confusing system of dead ends while they waited for Shun to guide Dan and Runo through the intricate paths to lead them to the others, but that was a half hour ago and he had most definitely woken from his bout of electrocution) and were closing in on them with a vengeance.

For once, Dan was appreciative of Kazarina's devious ingenuity.

Lync lead them through a series of twists and turns that boggled Dan's mind, and, though he had tried for a brief interlude in case they should become separated again, he gave up trying to keep track of them after the first three. How Lync was a master at these kinds of puzzles was a mystery to him, but it wasn't one he felt particularly inclined to solve at the moment.

Presently, Lync lead them to a three way intersection, and, after consulting the map for a moment, led them down the left path. "We're coming up on the end," he said, glancing back at the group behind him. His body language gave nothing away, but his eyes gleamed with pure, unadulterated excitement. "We've got about six more turns, and then it's the final pathway!" Dan felt his heart soar and was sure that his elation showed on his face. Just a little farther. Just a little farther and then everyone—the whole universe—would be safe.

"How are we on time?" Mylene asked. She kept her voice level and her gaze steeled; Dan could see how she was fighting to keep from allowing her spirits to get too far ahead of her. Dan supposed he could understand why. When they were so close, there was bound to be resistance. The Gundalians weren't going to let them go so easily, no matter what had previously been said.

At the very least, they still had Anubias to deal with.

"We've got about a half hour to forty five minutes?" Lync estimated, looking unsure. "And I'm still not sure where the others are."

"Shun'll get them out," Dan said confidently, but his voice shook. Freedom was so close. It was too close—he could practically smell the minty air Anubias had given him a taste of a few nights ago. He longed for that air again, for the freedom to spread his arms under the bright blue sky, but more than that, he ached for the skies of _home._

He longed to see his partner, even though that strange foreboding still weighed down on his chest.

"What do you want to do?" Shadow asked Mylene, and all of their heads turned to her. Dan inwardly sympathized with her. Being the one to make the final call was always stressful, and he knew it all too well.

She thought for a moment before giving her answer. "We're gonna go to the end and wait in view of the final corner. The way out is a long hallway, right?"

"Yeah," Lync confirmed.

"Okay, we're gonna wait out of sight for the others. If they don't make the time limit, we're gonna head out."

"We're gonna leave them?" Dan exclaimed, eyes wide. Yes, there was an aching in his chest, a yearning that _demanded_ satisfaction, for the open air, air unfiltered by machines and shut out by skylights, but something overpowered all of that. Mylene threw her icy gaze over her shoulder to him.

"I don't like it either, Dan," she said snappishly. "But the main priority is getting _you_ out. In case you haven't noticed, the only reason you're here is because your partner is the bearer of the most powerful energies in the universe. The rest of us are here by chance and just _happened_ to be a useful insurance policy. _You_ need to get out so that they won't have leverage against Drago. We are expendable, but you're not."

"All the more reason not to leave them behind," Dan countered, darting up to walk agitatedly beside the quickly moving Aquos brawler. Her eyebrows were beginning to descend lower in a look Dan knew he didn't want to see, but he pressed on anyway. "They won't do anything to me! Nothing worse than what they've already done." That was a lie, but a necessary one. He knew Mylene could see right through it the way her eyes flashed, so he continued before giving her a chance to interject. "They've kept you here to keep _me_ in line. The moment they realize they still have Joe, Hydron and Sid, it's game over."

"Only if you call it," Mylene fired back. Dan growled.

"I'm not leaving them," he said firmly, "and having them is just as good leverage as having me." Mylene stopped walking and turned to face him, eyes blazing. Lync stopped, too, glancing uncomfortably out of the corner of his eye every few seconds as if embarrassed to be listening to the conversation.

"Dan Kuso," she said with a terrifying calm she obviously didn't feel, "I thought you understood that with power comes responsibility."

"Of course I understand that," he replied indignantly, glaring at her.

"Really?" she questioned. "Because it sure sounds like, to me, you are willing to risk the fate of the entire universe for three people, two of whom, until three weeks ago, you were enemies with and believed to be dead." Dan balked and stood beside her, blinking. "You see, this is why I had a problem with the Brawlers. All of you people who operate on love and sentiments like it are_ weak_ when it comes down to the wire.

"I am not denying that love is a strong power," she continued when she saw the reproachful look he gave her. "However, when you let love and friendship cloud your judgement, you become weak. You lose sight of the big picture and focus on a single detail. You and Drago are partners, and it is your duty to protect the universe with the power you share. You can't give that up for three people, no matter how close you are."

"So you're saying you'd give up your friends just so that you could walk free and live in peace while they suffer your fate for you?" Dan demanded. Mylene shook her head.

"You're not listening," she snapped. "How in the world did you get this far when you're so willing to throw it all away? You need to choose between the few and the many! You _can't have both!"_

"How can you say that? Hydron is your friend, too!"

"Would you condemn the world to die just so you can save three people?"

"That isn't what—"

"_Would you condemn the world to die just so you can save three people_?" she repeated icily. Her voice lowered to a dangerous decibel.

His shoulders slumped and he looked away. "Well…no…" At his surrender, she seemed to calm. She sighed heavily.

"Look, I don't like it any more than you do. But, if it comes out to it, you need to understand that getting _you_ out is most important."

"But-"

Just because she appeared calm didn't mean she was. Dan learned that the hard way.

"OW! What the hell?" he snarled, recoiling from her merciless backhand.

"You are hopelessly naive, Dan Kuso," she hissed right back. "You think they'll just let them go because you stay? No! The moment they got hold of us, they got control of our lives. I don't know what delusion you've been living in, but this is reality. In reality, people die, and there is nothing you can do about it." Her mere tone could shatter diamonds. "Regardless of whether you stay or leave, _they have no worth._ You leave, they kill them. You stay, they kill them. The only difference is that they'll make you watch," she snarled before stalking away. Lync jumped at her sudden movement and started off at a brisk walk, pretending to be engrossed in his map reading, and leaving Dan to stare after the woman in stunned silence.

Shadow announced his presence by sighing. Dan flinched in startled bewilderment when the Darkus brawler slung his arm around his shoulders, flashing him a mirthless grin and forcing him to start walking again. "She's not one to mince words."

Dan didn't say anything.

"You gotta admit, though," Shadow said, soberly, "she's got a point."

"Don't rub it in," the brunette mumbled. Really, he didn't want to be stuck listening to the exact same speech. Mylene had said all she had to and then some, in his opinion.

Apparently, Shadow shared his views. "Oh, I'm not gonna. She laid it out loooouuuuud and clear. though, they might find some use for Joe." He smirked. "Sometimes you gotta make sacrifices. And it sucks. But you have a point, too. What are you if you don't stick by your friends, right?" Dan blinked as they rounded a corner. Shadow's arm pressed him uncomfortably close and he crinkled his nose at the scent of wet dog coming from his hair.

"It's kinda weird," he muttered. "I didn't really expect you guys to understand all that."

"Oh, when we were enemies, no chance you'd have gotten us to listen to that crap," Shadow cackled. "But, hey, when it's all ya got, it kinda grows on ya."

"Hm." They were quiet for a moment. "…Dude, can you get off?" Shadow rolled his eyes but let go, muttering something about a lack of huggable people around here before stalking back up to walk beside the still livid Mylene.

That left Dan in the back beside Runo, who he both desired and dreaded speaking with. However, when Volt, clearly sensing the tension and not wanting to be anywhere near it, quickened his pace to walk just a few paces behind Mylene and Shadow, he left Dan with the seething Runo, who appeared to be none too happy about the development either.

"You seriously think they've changed?" she murderously questioned, at least with the decency to keep her voice lowered. Dan glanced at her, but she didn't lift her eyes to meet his. "She's just the same as I remember her. Just a nasty bitch."

"Runo!" he exclaimed. She whipped her head around to fix him with her furious gaze.

"Don't you see it?" she hissed. "They're gonna turn on you! They haven't changed at all! How can you not see that after how she just spoke to you?"

"Because they're not gonna turn on me!" he whispered heatedly back. Sure, Mylene took the ruthless approach when it came to arguments, but that fact alone wasn't gonna convince Runo. "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into _me_? Stop asking me that! You're the one not acting like yourself! Since when have you ever listened to anyone? _Especially_ Mylene?" Her voice was rising.

"She's just trying to be practical!" Dan defended them without hesitation. His voice rose to match hers. He didn't notice how Mylene stiffened up front. "I trust her!" He also didn't notice how she visibly jerked, seemingly in response to his exclamation. But that wasn't possible; he and Runo were having a private conversation.

"What, and you don't trust me?" Runo spat.

"What gives you that idea?"

"Maybe because you _ditched me_ at every _possible _opportunity!"

"I did not—"

"Oh, don't you _dare_ try to deny it, Kuso!" she snarled. "First New Vestroia, then after Mira betrayed us, then when you went to go attack the BT System, _then_ when you _moved to another continent without telling me_, then going to Nethia, again, _without telling me_!"

He stopped like he'd been slapped in the face, but that didn't faze her. She just kept walking, and, though it took him a moment, he practically fell over himself in his attempts to keep up with her.

"Runo," he pleaded. After all, one they got out, she'd probably make every effort to steer clear of him. Not that he blamed her, but if that was the case, this would be his only chance to salvage what they used to have. Not that he deserved it. "I'm really sorry. Really, I wasn't gonna send the letter—"

"Dan Kuso, you are horribly dense if you think the _letter_ is the problem," Runo hissed. "No, that was just the icing on the cake!" She stomped forward a few feet, clearly intending to pass him and leave him in the back, but Dan simply quickened his pace to keep up with her. Desperation makes a man do foolish things, as he found out when she punched him in the face (right on the _damn_ bruise Mylene gave him) for all his hapless efforts.

Blood exploded in his mouth and he was reasonably certain that the skin on her knuckles tore, but even though he was hissing swears through clenched teeth at the pain, he kept up with her. He didn't notice the tears sparkling in her eyes. "Okay, I deserved that!" he admitted freely. He even seemed to relish the pain. "And a whole lot more. And I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! I don't know what I was thinking, letting you go like that!"

"Throwing me away like that," Runo corrected through clenched teeth.

"Throwing you away like that," he immediately amended. She rounded a corner after the Vexos and Dan actually _did_ trip, forcing him to cling desperately to the corner as he rounded it in pursuit. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I never wanted you to get caught up in this—I promise, I never meant for you to get hurt. I never wanted this, I never wanted…I never wanted to throw away what we had…"

"Then _why did you_?" she snarled.

"I don't know!" he cried, throwing his hands in the air in hopeless admission of the fact. "I don't know! It was stupid and idiotic and crazy and I am so _sorry_, I can't even begin to tell you—oh my gosh, Runo, I can't even begin to explain to you how—"

That was when she kissed him. It was wet—his cheeks were stained with her tears. Her lips quivered, just as her frail frame did when Dan's hand automatically rested on her hips. Her breaths came out hasty and panicked from her nose, chilling the salt water transferred to Dan's cheeks.

Suddenly, everything felt right again.

"Oh for goodness _fucking_ sake, this is _not _the time to be having a make-out session!" came a gruff, downright _angry_ voice, punctuated by a sharp, incessant pull on the back of Dan's shirt. The force of the yank ripped his lips from Runo's, and suddenly he was stumbling at a run down the hallway. The hand dragging him was Sid's large paw, and a glance behind him revealed that he had grabbed onto Runo's hand while their lips were pressed together. She was dashing after him, looking startled and flushed and confused and altogether disheveled, while Joe and Hydron brought up the rear.

"What the hell?" Dan demanded as Sid dragged him around a corner. That was when he realized where they were—the final hallway. Mylene and the others were hesitating halfway down the hall, Lync remaining the closest to the approaching group. Volt and Shadow flanked Mylene, and once she did a head count, a rare smile spread across her lips. Her eyes flicked to Dan's for a fraction of a second and Dan understood.

"Come on!" she cried, turning on her heel and sprinting out of the mouth.

"NO!" Shun shouted, suddenly appearing before her and blocking her way. Mylene had just enough warning to skid to a stop in front of him, yelping out in surprise, and everyone behind her stumbled to a stop.

"What the—Shun?" Dan exclaimed.

"What's the big idea?" Sid roared, letting go of Dan's shirt to force his way to the front of the line and gather a fistful of Shun's in his hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"It's mined," the ninja said bluntly, glaring daggers into the Gundalian's blazing eyes. "There are bombs out there—ten."

"Actually, nine," came an unwelcome growl, one that made Shun stiffen. He whirled around. "Ah, it makes sense now. That explosion earlier was you, wasn't it, Shun?" The ninja held his tongue, and Anubias turned his eyes to Dan. "Well, Dan. You certainly seem to be a naughty boy, aren't you? I'm sure Kazarina will have a field day when she gets her hands on you again." Dan's free hand went to his bandaged forearm. It immediately started to sting uncomfortably, but he didn't show it.

"Yeah, well she's not gonna touch him!" Runo snarled from his side. Her hand tightened around his own. "We're getting out of here!"

"Ah, Runo. I see you've managed to fight your way to the surface," Anubias goaded as he shifted his attention to her. "How nice it must be to see the world through your own eyes for a change, hm?"

"Go to hell!"

"My, my, temper, temper," he chuckled. "I see that's something that no amount of hypnosis can change. It's a shame that all of that passion is going to go up in smoke once you step outside. Or is it?" He turned his golden gaze to Dan, whose glare deepened. "Is it, Dan?"

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Dan!" Mylene hissed sharply.

"Don't be stupid," Lync whispered. Dan ignored them.

"Hm, you stand right there with your girlfriend and Joe, and you let the Vexos and Shun walk out of here without you."

"Dan," Runo breathed, rage at him forgotten. Funny how imminent death does that to a person. He squeezed her hand.

"And what's to say you won't blow them up as soon as they get outside?" Dan asked lowly.

"Dan!" Shun protested. "You can't seriously be considering this!"

"Oh, let him, Shun," Anubias sneered. This wasn't the battle-hungry teen he'd fought just a few days ago. This was a sadistic, power-crazed madman. "After all, he's the one who'll have to live with the consequences." Dan glared at him.

"_How do I know you won't blow them up?_" Dan growled through gritted teeth. Anubias simply smirked.

"Oh, they'll have Shun with them, won't they?" he replied maniacally. "I'm sure he'll figure out a way to get everyone out safely."

That was when Shun snapped. He was behind the Gundalian in an instant, aiming a powerful roundhouse kick at the back of his neck. However, it was at that precise moment that lightning rained down from above—black and blue energy that filled the air with light and a deafening roar of electrical pops.

Lightning was the only thing faster than a ninja.

The group screamed out in surprise and several of them ducked, but nothing hit anyone. Shun landed on his feet a few yards away from his intended target, dead center in the garage doorway, unhurt but looking positively _murderous._

Dan looked up, dreading what he knew he would find. Sure enough, there was Stoica, standing above at the end of a row of crates. His hand was outstretched and he was clearly irritated, but when he turned his gaze back to Dan, his face stretched into an expression of pure, heartless mirth. Airzel stood on the other side, only his expression was angry, full of flawless, unfettered fury. Dan's stomach did a jump worthy of an olympic gold medal to his throat.

This was bad, this was _very_ bad, and he was _so close!_

"Give it up, Dan," Gill threatened from behind. Dan hissed and looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, there was the red clad Gundalian himself, glowering at the teen was an expression that almost rivaled Mylene's for it's potential lethality. "You've reached the end of the line, and it's time for you to get off the train."

"Tch," Dan hissed.

"Give it up," Airzel repeated. "There's nowhere for you to go."

"Not even Shun can best us now," Stoica chuckled, sneering at the positively _pissed_ ninja glaring up at him from the ground. "Oh, how sweet revenge is…" He cackled, then, insanely, as though it were the greatest joke he'd ever heard. "'Revenge should have no bounds', as that fool Jesse would say!"

For Dan, it was the last straw.

His fingers, which had long since wormed their way beneath the bandage on his arm, ripped through the gauze and game away clutching a brilliant, crystalline object—a single shard of shattered glass.

He moved too quickly for the Gundalians to realize what was happening. He ripped his left hand from Runo's in an instant and shoved her forward, then dug the point of the blade into his wrist. He sliced through skin and blood vessels in a desperate, last-ditch bid for freedom, marring the newly restored canvas of skin. After all, it was going to be stained by them again soon, in a way he could actually feel; might as well have some say about the final picture. His skin, after all.

Runo recovered herself and screamed, and once the three slashes there (completed within seconds, tracing his faded scars) were inflicted, he took several steps away from her, backing toward Gill but not so far as to place himself within his reach. He turned so that his back was against the wall of crates, keeping Airzel, Stoica, Anubias and Gill within eyeshot, and adjusted his hold on the blood covered shard. He tightened his grip around it so that the two far ends of the triangle dug into his palm, leaving the longer, deadlier point to protrude between his knuckles and the heel of his hand.

He pressed it against his jugular, turning his defiant, burning eyes to Gill.

"_Whatareyoudoing?_" Runo screamed as blood dripped from Dan's mutilated left wrist onto the ground, already starting to pool at his feet. Dan didn't look at her.

"Are you insane?" Gill demanded. His eyes were wide with horror, obviously unable to comprehend what Dan was doing. "You're willing to sacrifice yourself?"

"Hell yeah," Dan snarled. "Now, you're going to do exactly as I say, or I'll do it."

"He's bluffing," Stoica called, but something in his voice wavered. He wasn't sure, wasn't really ready to call the bluff, and when Dan turned to him with that calm, deadly glint in his eyes, he visibly paled. "Oh my," he breathed, half to himself.

"I will," he affirmed with a terrifying steel edge to his voice. "Now." He turned his gaze to Anubias. "You're going to hand Shun the detonator to those bombs." The Gundalian, seemingly at a loss for words, just stared at him. Dan's frown deepened. "_Now_."

Anubias obediently dug into his pocket for the device, a small, black remote with five buttons on it. He turned and did as Dan instructed, and Shun took the device with hands shaking with rage.

"Mylene," Dan addressed next. "Take everyone—yes, everyone—" he affirmed when he noticed Gill's growl of protest "—and get out."

"Dan, remember what I told you!" Mylene protested angrily.

"Mylene," Dan growled. A drop of blood dripped from his clenched fist. "I do."

"No, you don't" she snapped. "You're not listening at all!"

"Yeah, well, if I don't do this, you all die," he shot back. "Just do what I say."

"Dan—"

"DO IT!" he roared with such intensity that she flinched—the ever stoic, stubborn, fearless Mylene Farrow flinched. For a moment, she just stared at him.

She stared at the clearly broken, desperate boy before her. The one holding their lives-quite literally-in his hand. It was for an instant, a single, briefest of instants, that she saw the agony in his eyes. And from the way Runo struggled for breath, she knew she saw it, too.

"Guys," The Greatest Aquos Brawler and Kiss of Death said in a frail voice, "come on." Volt, Shadow and Sid moved first, slowly, carefully, but deliberately maneuvering toward the exit. Lync and Hydron hesitated, moving more slowly, while Runo and Joe stayed put.

"No!" Runo cried, moving to latch onto Dan's arm but stopped by Joe's quick interception. He wrapped his arms around Runo's upper body, pinning her arms to her sides. Immediately, she struggled, lashing out with her legs and kicking wildly, all while screaming, "God_dammit,_ Joe, _let me the hell go!_"

"I can't, Runo!" Joe told her, stepping backwards toward the exit. He wouldn't meet Dan's eyes. Hydron and Lync moved then, also backing toward the exit. The pair stared at Dan with some combination of fascination and horror. Lync's face was even tinged a little green.

"No!" Runo screamed, throwing her weight around wildly. She struggled to free her arms, pulling and pushing against Joe's seemingly iron grip. "Dan! No! JOE LET ME GO!" She kicked out and managed to clip Hydron in the back of the head, eliciting a loud cry of pain, and that was when Volt took her. He slung her over his shoulder easily, with a definitive purpose to his movements. He secured her legs with his burly arm and ignored her violent pounding on his back as though he had been trained to do it, and his shoulder jamming into her stomach discouraged her screaming.

Even so, she didn't stop trying to get free.

"No, no, no, Dan," she sobbed, tears falling unbidden from her eyes.

It was in this lull in the sound that Dan allowed a small, broken smile. "I love you, Runo," he called out, though something told him she was too far gone to hear it. Something in him knew he had to say it; perhaps because he knew he'd never get another chance.

There's something about having your hopes completely dashed that makes you act in strange ways. Maybe it's the numbness. Maybe it's just the shock of it. Either way, even though Dan _saw_ the short but impassable distance keeping him from the open sky outside, he found that his brain refused to process it. Instead, it locked on everything else in the scene, burning _those_ images into his brain instead.

It was a cruel, cruel coping mechanism.

His eyes met Shun's. He was shocked by the sheer _anguish_ he saw there—the horror, the sadness, the shattered pieces. His mind latched on his suffering, searched for the reason behind his misty eyes. That was when he remembered the date. His eyes softened. "Sorry," he murmured, but he knew Shun read his lips when he grimaced and looked away. A tear ran down the ninja's cheek. Dan closed his eyes and struggled to control his breathing.

"Get 'em home, Shun," he called, and the ever stoic, ever reliable ninja nodded with all the honor, power, and skill that his title suggested. The tears decorating his cheeks glinted with his vow, shining with all the command of the sword used by a regent to knight the apprentice. It was his crowning moment, one that would change him forever.

It was the moment he learned he would have to survive without his best friend by his side.

They crossed the threshold and stepped out into the sun, leaving Dan cloaked in the shadow of death. Once the entire group was illuminated by the midday sunlight—sunlight Dan longed to feel on his own skin—, he relaxed his grip on the shard. He glanced upward at Stoica and Airzel and smirked at them. That only seemed to make them angrier.

"You have pissed me off for the last time, Kuso," Gill growled, drawing Dan's gaze. He glowered back at him and tossed the shard to the floor.

"Bite me."

Lightning filled the air and, outside, Runo's screams provided the harmony. The sharp, cacophony of sound was unbearable, and Shun shouted out in despair to drown out the sound.

It wasn't until she stopped screaming that the tears that blurred her vision fell fast enough for her to see, from her bobbing, uncomfortable position on Volt's shoulder, that her star-crossed lover was being held uncaringly, savagely, _brokenly_, in the arms of his red-clad enemy, while his shirt was singed and smoking, melted onto his chest. His head lolled back and his arm dripped blood—bright, crimson blood—onto the floor below him.

He looked, for the life of her, lifeless.

* * *

><p><strong>And, yes, I am going to confirm to you right now what you already knew.<strong>

**I am a horrible person.**

**Review!**


	34. Reflection

**Important A/N!**

**Like I previously considered doing, I am going on hiatus for the month of November while I work on NaNoWriMo. You can find me on that site under the same user name (if you want to be writing buddies, let me know, because I am completely open to that idea!)**

**But yeah...there's no way I can work on NaNoWriMo, Ultimatum and focus on all of the other stuff I need to get done before the end of the year all at the same time. HOWEVER: I can promise that I will update in December. You can count on that.**

**If I get up to 100 favorites by November 16, you'll get an update on November 16.**

**...I'm gonna shut up now. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>"How now, my lord, why do you keep alone,<strong>

**Of sorriest fancies your companions making,**

**Using those thoughts which should indeed have died**

**With them they think on? Things without all remedy**

**Should be without regard: what's done, is done." **

**- Lady Macbeth, ****_Macbeth_**

* * *

><p>The room was quiet.<p>

Runo was lying peacefully, the sound of her breaths interrupted every few seconds by a quiet but distinct beep. Above her, an EKG traced out the rhythm of her heart in green.

Even though the vital signs were important—and consistent—, Hydron failed to see how they could be comforting. After all, the monitors seemed to be mocking him, promising him life but keeping it sealed in unconsciousness. Even though the unconsciousness was induced, it was still cruel.

Upon returning from Displatis with Runo, Joe, the Vexos and Sid—much to the surprise, shock, elation and eventual despair of everyone involved—, the girl had become catatonic. She simply stared forward, unseeing, as caustic tears burned their trails into her cheeks. Mira, after a moment of stunned stupefaction had tried to get her to come out of it, but the girl simply wouldn't respond. She couldn't even stand up on her own; Hydron and Joe held her up until they got her into her bed at Marucho's house.

The group was given a terror when Alice went into Runo's room to check on her after she hadn't shown up for dinner and started screaming. It turned out that Runo was unconscious on the ground, a spilled bottle of cleaning products lying by her side, and at that point, Alice lost it, too.

The paramedics arrived within minutes and rushed Runo to the hospital where they threaded a tube down her throat and administered active charcoal to neutralize the poison. They put her on a ventilator to be safe and, once she got the chemicals out of her system, administered a drug to help her sleep through the night.

Since then, various members of the Brawlers had come and gone—Mira and Baron, each with cards offering well wishes, Joe, bearing a bouquet of flowers, and others with small stuffed animals, cards, and balloons. Marucho brought Drago over and left in tears. After Mylene got some stitches for the whip lash on her face, the Vexos stopped by, but left soon after Mylene angrily complained about a Gundalian boy who wouldn't stop quoting Shakespeare. The sight of their fallen comrade was unsettling for all of them—about two minutes into the visit, they fell into an uncomfortable lull in the conversation. It was a silence none of them knew how to break, and, after a few moments of it, they departed. Hydron maintained his vigil.

Neither Julie nor Shun appeared.

The doctors gave him a cot to sleep on, which he used for a few hours, but was now finding useless. Flashbacks to those dreadful moments when Dan sacrificed himself so they could flee haunted him and disturbed his sleep. Images of the three Gundalians shooting him with their lightning until he collapsed, unconscious but still alive, startled him just when he started to reach dreamland. Even though all he wanted was to lose himself in the dark tethers of the netherworld, he couldn't do it. His brain just wouldn't stop replaying the day.

Ultimately, he gave up trying to find the darkness and roused himself, deciding that a bit of fresh air would do him well. Maybe a conversation with a nurse or other loiterer would take his mind off his dark thoughts.

He slipped quietly into the hallway, leaving the respirations of his unconscious comrade behind. Wheelchairs, unhooked monitors, I.V. stands and unoccupied gurneys lined the hallways of the medical floor, appearing as bulky shadows in the murky lighting. Here and there, a light illuminated an area of the hall. They were placed sporadically enough that the ominous atmosphere was preserved, but close enough to preserve one's sight.

He gave the men and women attending the nurse's station a weary nod, which some returned, as he passed and headed for the elevator. He pressed the button to call it and, when it arrived, punched the button labeled "G". The large elevator passed nine floors in silence. The only indication that he was moving downward was the slight dropping feeling in his stomach—but it was nothing compared to the elevator in Ves Palace before he destroyed it.

He emerged from the elevator in a dimly lit hallway. This one was devoid of gurneys and stretchers. The only defining feature of it was the wallpaper depicting several golden caduceus wands against an off-white background. It must have been some trick of the light or his own sleep-deprivation, but Hydron was briefly certain that some of the snakes had moved.

He headed down the hallway toward the main entrance to the hospital, where he showed the resident receptionist the badge he had gotten from Marucho that gave him clearance to stay the night. Then, he passed the waiting room, empty save for a few anxious looking adults and a few sleepy teenagers, one of whom stood and stretched as Hydron walked by.

Then he was outside on a terrace above a sparsely populated parking lot. The hairs on his arms stood up at the invitation of the chilly air and he immediately wished for a sweatshirt he didn't own. His brain started at the unpleasant sensation, banishing the fatigued fog he hadn't even noticed until that moment. He looked up, fascinated by the open sky above him after being locked indoors for so long, but was disappointed to discover only the dark ceiling bright lights conjure in the night. The stars were, for the most part, cloaked, their celestial bodies hidden from him. He wouldn't have recognized the constellations anyway, he supposed, but a part of him still wished to see them.

The automatic doors opened behind him. He turned his head, mildly suspicious, but was surprised when he recognized the familiar face. Familiar though it may have been, he was one of the last people he wanted to see. Standing there was a serious-looking Ace whose gray eyes glittered with distrust. His mouth was set in a grim frown. He didn't even bother to hide how he felt about the former prince.

For a moment neither of them spoke; they just looked at each other. Ace moved forward, coming to stand beside Hydron. He rested his forearms on the concrete barrier in front of him and leaned forward, pressing his weight against it. "Fancy meeting you here," Hydron greeted casually, trying to ignore the irritation creeping in his stomach.

Ace was unfazed. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked the blonde.

"I could ask you the same," he deflected calmly. He turned and leaned back against the barrier, angling his face toward the inky sky. "Shun ask for two guards?"

"Yeah," Ace said. Hydron frowned.

"That's bull," he replied evenly. Ace stiffened. The former prince smirked fleetingly. "I'm not stupid, Ace. Who doesn't trust me?"

"Better question is who _does_ trust you," the Darkus brawler muttered. He straightened up but left his hand on the railing. Hydron turned his head to look at him. His eyes were dark-not just because of the ambiance. "Forgive my disrespect, your _highness_, but I think our distrust is justified. After all, you're the one who tried to kill all of your comrades."

Hydron felt that twinge of annoyance pulse dangerously. He'd changed; why couldn't they see that? He called to mind all of his etiquette lessons from his youth and kept his expression neutral. "I can't deny that," he admitted, forcing himself to sympathize with their caution, "but you can ask Mylene and the others. I've changed. I'm not that person anymore."

"You tried to blow up Dan and Spectra. You sent Lync and Volt to the ends of the dimension with a Death Bomb. You tried to annihilate entire worlds. Besides, why should I trust Mylene and the others? Lync is the only one who's shown any kind of change of heart. You're the last one I'd trust. It's gonna take more than 'I've changed' to convince me." Hydron was silent as he considered the brawler's words. "Don't have anything to say about that?"

"What you think about me doesn't matter," Hydron replied after a moment, keeping his voice level and sincere. It wasn't like he could say that Ace's claims didn't have value—everything the Vestal said was true. "I've done some things I'm not proud of. I'm sure you have, too." Ace bristled and Hydron winced. Bad move. Of course he wouldn't want to be reminded of that.

"_I_ never _tried_ to kill anyone," Ace growled. "Unlike some people."

"Spectra tried to kill people. What makes him so special as to receive your good graces?" Hydron questioned cooly.

"His name is Keith."

"'What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.''

"That's different," Ace hissed. "Keith atoned for his crimes a long time ago."

"Atonement? Interesting." Hydron turned his cool gaze to the seething eighteen-year-old beside him. "And how did he atone for his sins? By becoming Vestal's regent?"

"What does that—?"

"He atoned for his crimes by committing further crimes, did he not?" Hydron continued. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a communicator, then held it up in front of him with a flick of his wrist. "Arson, disruption of the peace, defiance of the military. Destruction of private property, destruction of government property, trespassing, theft, trafficking of illegal goods. There have even been accusations of murder against him." Hydron looked at Ace seriously. "It seems not everyone thinks he's as great as you do."

"Spectra has nothing to do with this," Ace snapped. "And all of those charges were dropped."

"Ah, but that's not entirely true, is it? The general public just hasn't got a clue." Ace's expression darkened even further. "Funny what the council can do to sweep cases like that under the rug, hm?" Hydron smirked. A part of him knew he shouldn't be riling up the Darkus brawler so much, but he couldn't deny himself the devious pleasure he got out of angering him. After all, Ace always had a quick temper, and playing with fire always had been a favorite pastime of his.

And besides, why should Spectra-or Keith, as Ace seemed intent on calling him-get special treatment? He was just as guilty as Hydron was!

Hydron had to work to block out the twinge of uncertainty that twisted in his stomach.

Ace was growling as he viciously stared at the former prince. Hydron could see the workings of his mind reflected in his gray eyes; he was struggling to keep from launching himself at him. Unfocusing his eyes a little revealed that he was actually shaking with the effort to control himself. Inwardly, he frowned. The guilt twisted more violently. Maybe he had pushed Ace a bit too far…

"Calm down, Ace," came a deep, calm voice. Percival popped out on Ace's shoulder, an ever watchful guardian. Hydron noted with mild interest that the Bakugan had evolved again since he had last seen it. He was sure to be a formidable opponent. "You are not here to fight with your allies."

_So we are considered allies_, Hydron considered. He had to consciously hold his tongue after contemplating a snide comment that he knew would not be appreciated by the already nearly homicidal Darkus brawler beside him. It would probably be best to leave things as they were for now.

Percival's words seemed to have a retardant effect on Ace. He immediately stood upright, releasing some of the tension from his muscles and dropping his murderous expression. He grunted agitatedly before glaring off into the darkness and crossing his arms, as if looking at Hydron would set him off again.

"Whatever. If you need me, I'll be in the waiting room," he muttered. And with that, he turned on his heel and stalked back inside.

"You handled that well," Apexeon remarked quietly from Hydron's shoulder. The former prince smirked to himself and turned around, resting his weight on his elbows against the concrete barrier again. "The way you turned that conversation around was most impressive."

"Royalty 101," Hydron chuckled mirthlessly. "'Ways To Turn a Conversation In Your Favor.'" He glanced behind him at the automatic doors, taking in the rectangle of dim orange light from inside projected onto the concrete ground. Ace had returned to his seat in the waiting room, probably to glare at a wall or something and sulk. Soon enough, he'd realize that Hydron had basically just turned the spotlight to Spectra in order to deflect it from himself—and a little later, he'd probably throw a fit because of it. But for now, Ace was blissfully ignorant in his anger.

Truthfully, Hydron hadn't been sure if it would work. After all, it had been a few years. He didn't know how much the brawler had matured. If he had gotten to the point where he'd be able to look past his anger in search of motive, Hydron's technique would have been useless. However, it seemed as though he, at least, still had one thing going for him: luck.

He sighed. "You sound troubled," Apexeon commented. "Although, I suppose that's to be expected, considering how these past few days have gone."

"It's funny," Hydron muttered. "I thought I'd be a lot happier after getting out of that hellhole. But since Dan is still there…I feel…" He sighed. "I know a lot's happened over the past few years, but I still suck at emotions…"

"It's alright," Apexeon assured him. "Just talk it out." Hydron smirked.

"You know, the humans had a psychologist about a hundred years ago who came up with something called the 'talking cure.'"

"Well, if that's what it's called, then employ it," Apexeon reasoned. The former prince chuckled.

"I'd rather not. Everything that psychologist believed about the human psyche focused on sex. Or so I've been told."

"…What's sex…?" Hydron froze, pursed his lips, and found a strangely threatening bubble of laughter erupting in his chest. Apexeon started when he released it, the melodious tones of his genuine laugh echoing on the stone formation around him. The Bakugan bounced from his shoulder onto the barrier Hydron leaned against. "I don't understand. How is that statement amusing?" The confusion in the Bakugan's voice only served to make Hydron laugh harder, almost to the point where tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Oh, my gosh," Hydron laughed breathily, wiping at his eyes. "Oh man; I haven't laughed like that in a while."

"I don't understand why that was funny. What is 'sex'? Is that some outlandish food or something?" Hydron had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing this time.

"Um, no. And I am not having this conversation with you right now. Oh gosh; wait 'till Dan hears about that one…" He chuckled, took a deep breath, and continued. "I dunno. I guess I'll humor you. A couple months ago, Lync and I were eating at Marble's. I think you were at home that time; you and Monarus weren't with us. And Lync just started getting all philosophical on me…" He paused for a moment.

"He was like, 'Have you ever wondered why Dan was so naive?' I just sort of stared at him, and I said, 'Where did that come from?' And he made this face, like he bit into a lemon or something." Hydron scrunched up his own face as he was describing it, pursing his lips. "He was like, 'Well, Dan just acted like an eight year old all the time.' Long story short, he basically explained why Dan was an idiot and why none of his philosophies made any sense, and how it should have gotten smacked into his head at some point that the world was going to come back and bite him in the ass.

"He was like, 'When I got stranded on Earth, Dan basically offered to house me until we found a way to get back.' And I was like, 'What? Why the hell would he do that?' And Lync told me that, at first, he thought Dan was just doing it to keep him close, but after spending time with Alice—remember when his face turned bright red earlier? Yeah, that was because she walked in the room—he realized that that was actually what he was like. And he didn't understand.

"He kept saying Dan should have lost because he didn't plan out his strategies at all. He just made stuff up and babbled about protecting the Bakugan. And he just didn't understand what it meant to be outgunned and that there comes a point when believing you can do something _when you have a gun at your head_ gets to be less admirable and more suicidal.

"And I have to say…I agree with him," Hydron's tone took on the likeness of a growl.

Apexeon shifted on his shoulder. The prince dethroned snorted.

"What was that idiot thinking?" he demanded to the empty night. "What the _hell_ was that idiot _thinking?_ Cutting his wrist so the rest of us could go free? Yeah, sure, noble act, Dan; you'll go down in the history books as a _fucking_ martyr; you happy now? That…_idiot_," he mumbled, leaning forward and resting his chin on his arms. "Yeah, sure, he got us out so that he could be electrocuted and dragged back into that hellhole we were _supposed_ to be helping his escape. Good for him. Great job." He straightened up. "Yeah, he got us out so we could go home, tell everyone, 'oh, yeah, we're alive, but your leader sacrificed himself so that we could live an extra week before he's held hostage for the power that will be used to destroy the universe', have his girlfriend attempt suicide, and drive several pairs of parents to hysteria. Exactly what part of that situation worked out the way he wanted it to?"

"Getting you out alive," Apexeon offered after a moment of silence.

"But we're not _worth_ it!" Hydron replied instantly. "Hello? How is that not obvious? Let's see, Lync acted as a double agent _at least_ twice to Dan's detriment," he said, counting off on his fingers, "Shadow Prove tried to keep his girlfriend forever trapped between dimensions, stalked his friend, scared the _hell_ out of that Baron Leltoy kid, beat his best friend to a bloody pulp and sealed him in a human pickle jar _and_ held another of his friends hostage." He held up a second finger. "Volt actively supported the Vexos and the repression of the Bakugan, attacked his _other_ best friend and sealed _him _in a human pickle jar, repeatedly tried to steal the Perfect Core energy, and also attacked Shun Kazami." Up went another finger. "Sid tried to kidnap kids to use in a war against innocents for the good of an emperor who wanted to rule the universe, betrayed his friends, and was responsible for the death of a respected Castle Knight." Another finger. "Mylene almost killed one of Dan's best friends, divided, attacked, and sealed _another _friend in a human pickle jar, advised me to blow up both Dan and Spectra, acted in open support of annihilating the Bakugan, attacked his girlfriend, took Mira hostage, and also tried to _kill Mira and Spectra_." Up went his thumb. "And then there's me. The kid behind the majority of that. Everything Ace said about me was true. I kept Dan's friends as statues in my throne room. I ordered his girlfriend be trapped between dimensions for all eternity. I pressed the button to kill him and Spectra. I tried to kill two of my allies, eliminate an entire race, and help my father destroy worlds. I was fine with destroying entire planets and punished others for thinking otherwise.

"But he still chose us over _himself_," he exclaimed, "even though he _must_ have known he was worth more than all of us combined!" Suddenly, there was an unwelcome, painful lump in his throat. He swallowed hard to dispel it, but it didn't work, so he pursed his lips together and tried to ignore it.

The stinging in his eyes didn't make it very easy.

"Goddammit, what the hell?" he rasped around the lump. _Why am I crying?_

"To-morrow," Hydron jumped, breathing in sharply and wincing when his throat spasmed in response, "and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day," said a voice with a slight British accent. Hydron glanced around in confusion. _The hell? Macbeth? _Who in their right mind would be out reciting Shakespeare in a hospital parking lot at two in the morning?

"To the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!" Ah, there he was. A teenage boy, tall, with sandy blond hair. The tips were dark—perhaps they'd been dyed? He was standing out in the open, dead center beneath a streetlight, as if he had delusions of it being a spotlight (if only he knew how close to the truth he was). He supported a thick, open blue book in his right hand, only his eyes were closed, rendering the text useless. For some reason, the kid was wearing a trench coat, and, oddly enough, the first thought that reached Hydron's confused mind was, _Doesn't this kid know that the stereotypes here paint him in a shady light?_ No pun intended.

Heedless of the former prince's musings, the boy continued with his speech, his face contorting to mirror the agony of the speaker he was playing.

"'Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'," he finished, lowering the hand he held up in a fist beside his head. He stayed there, frozen as if spellbound by his own performance, for a few beats, before a loud, angry voice cut through the night.

"For the love of all things merciful, please _tell me you're done!_" Hydron blinked, his sorrow forgotten.

The boy might not have heard it for all the reaction he gave—that is, until he responded. "Now, now, Plytheon, just because you have no appreciation for the fine works of the Bard, does not mean that our learned comrade above is like minded."

That was when Hydron realized that this was a brawler—Ventus, if the color of his trench coat was any indication. Regardless, Hydron wasn't quite sure what to make of this, and, impulsively, blurted, "Look, if the next words out of your mouth are, 'he jests at scars that never felt a wound', you are delusional." _No way in hell am I getting tricked into playing Juliet._

"Ah, so thou dost share my appreciation!" the brawler exclaimed. "Tell me, art thou familiar with Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark?"

"What the hell…?" Hydron muttered. "…Yes…?"

"Wonderful! Take it from act one, scene four!" Hydron just stared at him.

"…You want me to run lines with you?"

"Alas, what else, my friend?"

_I don't even know this guy; what in the…? _He continued to stare at him for a moment longer before his fatigue got the better of him. _Oh, what the hell?_

He took all of thirty seconds to pull up _Hamlet_ on his communicator and oblige.

"The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold," he said emotionlessly. _Oh god, this is ironic…_

"It is a nipping and an eager air," the brawler replied as Horatio, his voice full of vigor.

"What hour now?"

"I think it lacks of twelve." The brawler had melded into his character perfectly, all of a sudden taking on a completely different persona. His posture was changed, though not in a way Hydron could describe. He just…was different.

"No, it is struck," Hydron replied, searching for Prince Hamlet's character within himself. He closed his eyes, imagining his own ceremonial crown on his head. He was a prince. His father was dead—the only difference was that _this _prince actually loved his father.

"Indeed?" the brawler asked. "I heard it not: then it draws near the season wherin the spirit held his wont to walk." He paused, as if waiting for the trumpets and gunshots to ring out as prompted on the—again unseen—page before him. Hydron imagined them, instead. "What does this mean, my lord?" he asked of the silent sounds.

"The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse, keeps wassail, and the swaggering up-spring reels," Hydron explained, a note of feigned disinterest seeping into his voice, "and, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down, the kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out the triumph of his pledge."

"Is it a custom?" The brawler actually sounded confused.

Hydron scoffed.

"Ay, marry, is't: but to my mind, though I am native here and to the manner born, it is a custom more honor'd in the preach than the observance." Hydron crossed his arms and sighed, fully submitting to Hamlet's mindset. "This heavy-headed revel east and west makes us traduced and tax'd of other nations: they clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase soil our addition; and indeed it takes from our achievements, though perform'd at height, the pith and marrow of our attribute. So, oft it chances in particular men, that for some vicious mole of nature in them, as, in their birth—wherein they are not guilty, since nature cannot choose his origin—by the o'ergrowth of some complexion, oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason, or by some habit that too much o'er-leavens the form of plausive manners, that these men, carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect, being natures livery, or fortune's star,—their virtues else—be they as pure as grace, as infinite as man may undergo—shall in the general censure take corruption form that particular fault; the dram of eale doth all the noble substance of a doubt to his own scandal."

They were silent for a moment, drinking in Hamlet's speech.

And then the Ventus brawler started laughing.

Hydron jumped, startled by the sudden, out of place sound. And, almost immediately, a flush rose to his cheeks. "What are you laughing at?" he demanded. He was so surprised at his comrade's amusement that he hadn't controlled his tone properly and thus actual embarrassment leaked into his voice. He clamped his mouth shut.

"It's been a while since I've had someone who shares my appreciation for the arts to run lines with!" the brawler said once he regained control of his voice. He bowed deeply. "My most gracious salutations, Prince Hamlet." He rose, flashing Hydron a benign but slightly unsettling grin. "Or rather, Prince Hydron?"

The former prince stared at him.

"Hmph," Hydron replied after a moment. He chose to let go of the whole title issue for now. "Greetings to you, as well, my good Horatio. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, sir…?"

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."

How long had this kid been out here?

"Jesse Glenn of Gundalia, your highness." _Ah, that explains it. Must be the kid Mylene was talking about_.

"It is a pleasure," Hydron addressed him dryly. "However, all kidding aside, can I ask what the heck you're doing here, running lines from Hamlet at two o'clock in the morning? _In a hospital parking lot?_"

"Ah, what is life without spontaneity?" Hydron was starting to find it difficult to keep from glaring.

"That…did not answer my question."

"Oh for crying out loud!" came an angry voice Hydron recognized as one Plytheon. "Mason kicked him out of their room because he wouldn't stop speaking in Shakespearean and he got bored waiting around inside!" Hydron blinked.

"So…you went for a walk…"

"Ay, my lord."

"…At two in the morning."

"And what, pray tell, bid _thee_ from _thy_ bed, my lord?" His tone wasn't contemptuous, but it was a bit challenging. _And why are _you_ out of bed at two in the morning?_

"Touché," Hydron conceded. _Why does this guy want to keep speaking in Shakespearean English?_

The automatic doors opened. "Dude, what are you still doing?" Ace asked grudgingly, approaching the former Vestal prince. "You look like you're talking to—oh." He had spotted Jesse, who smiled benignly at him. Ace deadpanned. "That explains it," he muttered.

"Ah, the faithful comrade of the lord of the house," Jesse exclaimed. Ace shot him a look of distaste.

"Excuse me?" he asked with a startlingly straight face.

"How does Ren put up with this guy?" Percival asked in exasperation from Ace's shoulder.

Hydron blinked, then grinned at this new development. So Ace wasn't a fan of Shakespeare? It was hardly the most mature thing to do, but hell if he was going to pass up this opportunity.

"That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this," Hydron burst out, tucking his communicator back in his pocket and grabbing hold of the cement barrier with his hands. He turned hardened eyes to his fellow cast member below, "you have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella for taking bribes here of the Sardians; wherein my letters, praying on his side, because I knew the man, were slighted off." It was a struggle not to look at Ace, for he was sure he'd burst out laughing at the look on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?" the Darkus brawler, as predicted, demanded.

Jesse caught on and smirked deviously.

"You wronged yourself to write in such a case," he said simply, all of a sudden powerful, radiating Brutus.

"In such a time as this, it is not meet that every nice offense should bear his comment," Hydron fired back tersely. Cassius was, after all, quite angry. Ace growled and Jesse flipped to a new section in his book, making his way out of the streetlight and to the stairs leading to the pair of Vestals.

"Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; to sell and mart your offices for gold to undeservers."

"I an itching palm!" Hydron cried as if offended. He struggled to remember the time when he played Cassius in a play put on by the royal entertainers. He stepped away from the concrete barrier so that he could see the top of the stairs when Jesse reached the top. "You know that you are Brutus that speak this, or, by the gods, this speech were else your last!"

Ace muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a threat.

"The name of Cassius honors this corruption, and chastisement doth therefore hide his head," Jesse recited as he climbed.

"Chastisement!" Hydron demanded.

"You people are crazy," Ace grumbled, turning and stomping back toward the door. Hydron glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before shooting a smirk at Jesse. 'Brutus' grinned coldly back. Hydron stepped farther away and turned his back upon the partition so that he was nearly in the center of the square, allowing for more movement and ad libbing in their blocking.

"Remember March, the ides of March remember: did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?" He flipped the page and stopped before Hydron, purposely just within his personal space, his eyes steely. Hydron, not one to be outdone, layered himself in Cassius' skin and glared up at him in defiance. He noticed silently that the automatic doors did not swish open as Ace returned to the lobby and flicked his eyes toward them. Sure enough, the teen was hesitating, arms crossed, as he begrudgingly observed their performance. "What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, and not for justice? What, shall one of us that struck the foremost man of all this world but for supporting robbers, shall we now contaminate our fingers with base bribes, and sell the mighty space of our large honors for so much trash as may be grasped thus? I had rather be a dog and bay the moon than such a Roman!"

"Brutus, bay not me; I'll not endure it," Hydron 'Cassius' replied angrily. Oh, how good it felt to lose himself in someone else. "You forget yourself to hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, older in practice, abler than yourself to make conditions."

Jesse stared him down. "Go to. You are not, Cassius."

"I am."

"I say you are not."

"Urge me no more, I shall forget myself," he hissed. "Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further!"

"Away, slight man!"

"Is't possible?"

"Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frightened when a madman stares?" Jesse goaded calmly.

"O ye gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?" Hydron all but shouted in response, mindful of the sleeping patients above.

"All this!" Jesse snapped. He stepped forward and Hydron stepped back, the both of them completely improvising their movements. Jesse poked his index finger into Hydron's chest, invoking an even more heated glare. "Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart _break_." He threw his hand to the side to illustrate his point. "Go show your slaves how choleric you are, and make your bondmen tremble! Must I budge?" He gestured to his own chest with his hand. "Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch under your testy humor?" He straightened up and shot Hydron a look of disgust. "By the gods, you shall digest the venom of your spleen though it do split you; for, from this day forth, I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, when you are waspish!" 'Brutus' was cold and angry and deadly serious.

"Is it come to this?" Hydron hissed.

"You say you are a better soldier; let it appear so. Make your vaunting true and it shall please me well: for mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men." Jesse feigned interest.

"You wrong me in every way; you wrong me Brutus," Hydron protested venomously. "I said, an elder soldier, _not_ a better: Did I say 'better'?"

"If you did, I care not."

"When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me."

"Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him."

"I durst not?" Hydron got indignant again.

"What the hell does 'durst' mean?" came a hushed grumble.

It took all of Hydron's control not to break character and burst out laughing. Jesse showed no signs of distraction, though—he was a seasoned performer.

"No."

"What, durst not tempt him?"

"For your life you durst not!" Jesse spat. Hydron leaned forward, pushing into Jesse's personal space this time.

"Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for," he hissed in his face. He drew on real anger to make the performance of the threat genuine.

"You _have _done that you should be sorry for," Jesse corrected him hotly, shoving him. Hydron stumbled backward, eyes wide and angry. "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm'd so strong in honesty that they pass by me as the idle wind, which I respect not." Jesse advanced. "I did send to you for certain sums of gold, which you denied me; for I can raise no money by vile means: by heaven, I had rather coin my heart and drop my blood for drachmas than to wring from the hard hands of peasants their vile trash by any indirection! I did send to you for gold to pay my legions, which you denied me: was that done like Cassius? Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?" He advanced again, forcing Hydron back again. This time, his back hit the concrete partition, startling him. Jesse leaned in, forcing Hydron to arch his back to keep their noses from touching. If Hydron didn't know any better, he'd say that Jesse actually looked murderous. "When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous," he hissed, his voice lowering dangerously, "to lock such rascal counters from his friends, be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts. _Dash him to pieces!_"

Hydron stared into his burning, violet eyes for a moment before he opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted.

"How the hell do you people understand what you're saying?" Ace demanded, breaking the spell. Hydron and Jesse both blinked in surprise, having momentarily forgotten that he was still there. Jesse straightened, allowing Hydron to stand again, before sharing slightly confused glances.

Ultimately, Hydron shrugged. "Lots of Earth-related English lessons."

"I—"

"You love English, yeah, I got that," Ace cut the Gundalian off quickly, a brief expression of terror coming over his features at the prospect of dealing with his archaic manner of speaking. He averted his eyes. "I gotta admit, though, that was pretty impressive."

The compliment was mumbled around a wad of embarrassed flavored chewing gum. Had Hydron been the same boy he was when he ruled the world, he was certain he would have milked that comment for all it was worth. _"What's that?"_ he surely he would have said, just for the pleasure of watching his former enemy squirm.

...In all honesty, if he hadn't seen how embarassed Ace was, he probably would have milked it right now. But, alas, he had matured over the years—and over the past few weeks. Hydron simply smiled and took the compliment.

"It was our pleasure," he grinned, bowing dramatically—though not as dramatically as his cast mate.

Okay, so he hadn't matured _that_ much.

Hydron yawned, suddenly conscious of his fatigue now that the thrill of acting had worn off. It was with a murderous glare that looked less threatening than it was intended that Ace yawned as well, and Jesse was left out.

Thankfully, the Ventus brawler had the good grace to understand that now was the time to 'bow out'. "Fare thee well, gentle gentlemen," he bowed, closing his book as he did so. "Twas a pleasure running lines with you, my lord."

"And you likewise," Hydron grinned, inclining his head and lifting a hand graciously. "Good night."

"See you," Ace muttered, clearly having no qualms about letting the Gundalian depart despite the performance he had obviously enjoyed.

And then, Ace and Hydron were alone.

Almost immediately after Ace realized that, he turned on his heel. "Try not to look like you're schizophrenic," he said snappishly, stomping back inside, presumably to attempt to sleep in a waiting room chair.

"Good night to you, too," Hydron chuckled as rolled his eyes, following after a moment.

"You seem to be in better spirits," Apexeon commented once they were sealed inside the elevator once more. Hydron glanced down from the floor-counter.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, you seemed to be having fun, what was it, 'running lines' with that boy."

"Is that so?" Hydron murmured, leaning back against the wall of the ascending metal box.

They were quiet for a moment, enough time for the elevator to reach it's destination and allow the passengers off, discouraging conversation.

It was when Hydron laid his head back on the lumpy pillow on his cot that he realized Jesse had intervened just before he lost control of his emotions and started to cry. As he sank into dreamland, he wondered if that had been done on purpose.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa, IT'S A CHAPTER. I'm…honestly quite surprised. For several reasons. One, that I actually finished this damn thing. Two, that I actually found TIME to finish this damn thing. Third, that Hydron…likes Shakespeare…. Yeah, this just came out of me wanting to understand Hamlet for English class. And then, hey, it turned out Hydron likes Shakespeare. Waddaya know.<strong>

**Oh, and Ace actually dislikes someone more than Hydron. And yup, that person is Jesse.**

**Oh yeah, and the main reason I'm surprised is that…well…it's October 18 (*at the time of finishing this, it was 10/18/14; right now, it's 11/2/14). I'm REALLY behind on chapters. But I am going to work on the next couple LATER, because I am falling asleep right now and very few good things come from me when I'm tired.**

**Review!**


	35. King of Hearts

**Okay, quick apology!****(I actually had a legit excuse this time, though heh heh x_x don't kill me)**

**I am sorry I didn't update on Sunday; I had this done, but I discovered that I couldn't upload it unless I was on my computer. Long story short, I left my computer charger at my mom's house while I brought my laptop to my dad's house, so I couldn't upload it until yesterday. And then I did homework until I passed out, so… Sorry!**

**On the bright side, you don't have to wait as long for the update after this one! :D**

**Read the A/N at the end; more important info is down there!**

* * *

><p><strong>AN #2 ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THE DAMN FORMATTING?! Ugh...**

* * *

><p><strong>AN #3 Fixed...Ugh...**

* * *

><p><strong>"It's the children the world almost breaks who grow up to save it."<br>― Frank Warren**

* * *

><p>Julie had found <em>another<em> room that no one ever entered in Marucho's mansion.

It wasn't hard, really, but it sure frustrated the heck out of Zenet, Mira and Alice. Not that she really paid much attention to what anyone else was feeling these days—mostly, she just tried to find something to occupy her time and thoughts that didn't have anything to do with the current crisis she and her friends were facing. And that meant not concerning herself with the feelings of those people involved in said current crisis.

Especially not with Zenet, Mira and Alice, who, for some reason, were intent on keeping her in sight at all times. If not in their own, then in someone else's. Julie was always accompanied by a brawler, as if she were some VIP in need of a bodyguard. The one that was supposed to be in charge of her at the moment was Baron, but he was easy to distract (Julie felt guilty thinking this but it was true) and he didn't know the layout of the mansion as well as Julie did.

That was how she wound up in an unused conference room on the thirty second floor, playing solitaire on the immaculately-polished table. Clawsaurus and Gorem weren't with her—she'd left them back in her room purposely. Really, she just wanted to be alone with her not-thoughts—which is something she would never have said a few weeks ago.

She had just dealt out the cards in their traditional solitaire fashion. One card face down, one face up. Two cards face down, one face up, and so on, so the seven face up cards were arranged in a kind of staircase. Ace of spades, five of clubs, ten of diamonds, eight of hearts, queen of hearts, two of spades, three of diamonds. She moved the ace of spades above the row of cards and flipped over the card beneath it. Nine of clubs. She placed that on top of the ten of diamonds and then moved the eight of hearts on top of that. She flipped over the face-down card. Four of clubs.

Moving automatically, she placed the three of diamonds on that, and then the two of spades atop that before thinking better of the move and putting that on the ace of spades above the game. She flipped over the two face down cards. Nine of diamonds and jack of clubs.

It continued like this for some time, mindlessly moving card to other card to other card and so on until she ran out of cards continue with. She flipped over three cards from the extra pile, then three more, and three more until she finally came up with a card she could use. The two of clubs went on top of the three of diamonds.

_Come on, black queen_, she thought to herself as she started the pile over again.

She glanced at her setup. _Oh wait_… She moved the pile starting with the red ten of diamonds to the black jack of clubs and grinned humorlessly at her own mistake, then flipped over the face down card. Ace of diamonds._ How convenient._

That joined the ace of spades and two of clubs, so she flipped the card beneath it. Two of hearts. She frowned.

Thus she continued and continued, until she was disappointed to discover that she had no more moves left. She sighed, gathered up the cards, and began again.

* * *

><p>"Hey, have you seen Julie?" Baron asked, trying to ignore the hot, sticky shame that coated the inside of his chest as he poked his head into the alcove. It was the coffee station nearest the lab where Marucho, Keith, Ren and Mira spent most of their time. Mira was the only one there at the moment and jumped at the sound of his voice, violently jerking the styrofoam coffee cup she was swirling with a wooden stirrer. As a result, the coffee sloshed out of the cup, onto her hand and the counter, from which she recoiled with a yelp.<p>

"Oh my gosh!" Baron exclaimed, rushing to her side. Geez, he couldn't do anything right today. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you, Mira!"

"Baron…" she sighed, reaching for a napkin. "It's okay. I wasn't paying attention." Baron grabbed a few napkins as well and pressed them against the coffee spill while she wiped off her hand. At least he could help with this, right? She blinked when she noticed that he had moved to help. "Oh, thanks, Baron." He stared at her. The surge of pride at being useful didn't come—instead, concern for his leader washed over him.

"…Are you alright, Mira?" he asked, taking in the dark circles under her eyes and the whitish pallor of her cheeks. She didn't answer for a moment, her forehead creasing as she struggled to understand his words.

"Yeah, I'm…fine," she replied finally, crumlping up the napkin.

"Uh…you don't look fine at all," Baron protested, forgetting his internal crisis. "Your face is completely white."

"I'm just tired," she mumbled, turning in a circle in an effort to locate the garbage. After a moment, Baron took the crumpled napkin, opened the cabinet by her knee, and tossed it inside into the trash. Mira simply watched this looking confused.

"I don't think 'tired' is the word for it," Nemus said, popping out on Barron's shoulder.

"Nemus is right, Mira," Baron agreed, placing his hands on her upper arms. "You may be tired, but that's definitely not the whole problem!"

"I keep trying to tell her that but she just won't listen!" Wilda cried from the counter.

"I'm fine," Mira insisted, stepping out of Baron's reach. "You all need to calm down! Honestly, I'm just…tired…" She swayed dangerously before losing her balance in it's entirety.

"Mira!" Baron cried in alarm. He caught her easily and gathered her up in his arms, not trusting her unsteady legs.

"Mira!" Wilda exclaimed, bouncing over to hover over her clammy, pale face. She groaned softly.

"What's wrong? Does your head hurt?" She grunted in affirmation and Baron sighed. "Wilda, where's Keith?"

"He went to go get lunch with Shun," Wilda replied. "Take his mind off things and ask about dinner with Mylene. They should be back soon, though."

"And Ace and Ren are in Interspace…" Baron muttered. "Who's in the lab right now?"

"Lena; she's running some diagnostic software or something."

"Nemus, can you tell her to call Keith and tell him what happened? I'm gonna take Mira to her room so she can get some rest." Mira moaned in protest as Nemus went off to do as Baron asked.

"No…I'm fine…" She weakly kicked, trying to free herself from Baron's sturdy grip, but Baron held her fast.

"No, Mira, you're not," he said sternly, turning on his heel and heading back down the hallway toward the nearest elevator. "You need rest."

"I can rest later," she mumbled even as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Baron didn't say anything. _She has something she can do, and she knows it. What can I do?_

They arrived at the elevator a few moments later and Wilda helped out by pressing the call button for the Haos brawler. They got on and headed up, and by the time they reached the room Mira had to herself, she was out.

He had just gotten her shoes off and tucked her under the covers when Keith, Shun and Joe entered the room, a furrowed brow the only indication that her older brother was worried. Drago hung out on Keith's shoulder.

"Hey guys," Baron called softly as Nemus rejoined him.

"Hey," Keith quietly replied while Joe nodded his greeting before darting to Mira's bedside. The others watched as he held one hand over her stomach and wrapped his other around her hand, then closed his eyes, inviting a rainbow-colored glow to surround his hands and illuminate the area. A look of peace came over the two of them. Even Baron felt the pacifying effects from his position a few feet away. Baron's eyes were wide. Sure, he had heard from the others about what Joe could do with his residual energy from the Infinity Core, but hearing about it and experiencing it were two very different things.

After a few moments, the light faded, though the sense of peace still seemed to linger. When Joe turned his head to look at Baron, Keith, and Shun, they understood why. There was a rainbow glitter in his eyes.

"She's fine," he said calmly, rubbing his thumb along the back of Mira's hand in a soothing manner. "She's just tired, that's all. Let her sleep for a while and she'll be good to go."

"Thank you, Joe," Keith said, and the sandy-haired teen nodded. "Will she sleep through the night?"

"She should. My positive energy should keep her from having nightmares," he said, standing up. The rainbow in his eyes flickered out, leaving the room feeling cold and oppressive, and leaving Baron feeling incompetent again.

Joe had been partnered with Wavern, one of the most important Bakugan in history. Now he had special powers—limited though they were, they were still far more than Baron could bring to the table on his own. Mira and Ace and Keith and Gus…they all had a specific job to do. Mira was their leader, the Queen regent of Vestal, an expert brawler and extremely skilled with computer programs. Ace was an amazingly powerful and excellent fighter; smart, cunning, adaptive and strong-willed. Keith was extremely proficient in just about everything he did; he was a brilliant leader, wise King regent, expert strategist, skilled computer technician and well-versed in cybernetics—both biological and purely mechanical. He was one of the best brawlers in the universe, and anyone who so much as heard his name knew it. Gus always knew exactly what he was doing, how to complement Spectra's skills in a tag-team battle and was powerful enough to single-handedly take out Dan in a brawl, a feat both he and Spectra had only managed once—and Spectra had cheated.

All of them had a job to do to bring Dan back.

But what could Baron do? Why was he even here? Here he was surrounded by the best of the best; there was no way he deserved to be here. The only reason Baron had joined the Resistance was because he believed in it's principles. He didn't have any special talents. He wasn't a top brawler like Ace, he didn't have leadership skills like Mira. He could drive their trailer and _use_ Vestal technology like a pro, but he couldn't _write_ the programs they needed to find Dan. He couldn't_ design_ things that would help them get him back.

Since he joined the Resistance and trained under Dan, sure, he'd improved as a brawler, but he could still only take on those at the bottom of his weight class. He was still the weakest, and, just as Mira had said all those years ago, he knew 'a team is only as strong as it's weakest member.'

Was he dragging down the team as a whole?

Yes, he'd been appointed an advisor of the Caretakers, and, yes, he could still take out any one of them if they challenged him to a brawl, even if they tag-teamed him, but, out of these teammates, he suspected that the only one he'd be able to match was…was…

He couldn't even say himself; his own avatar had kicked his ass.

"Baron, where's Julie?" Shun questioned, pulling Baron out of his thoughts and making his voice heard for the first time since he entered the room. Baron's stomach seized in fear, having momentarily forgotten the ninja was even there—and that he was supposed to be searching for Julie(another thing he couldn't do right, he thought bitterly to himself). Shun had a way of doing that, just melting into the background and making those present just forget they had even seen him to begin with. He had been doing that a lot lately, Baron realized as he turned to look at him guiltily.

"I'm not sure," he said shamefully, but that was before he took in the sight before him.

The sight made his stomach clench. Where before had been pale yet healthy skin now were features sallow and gaunt. The ninja's eyes were bloodshot and red around his eyelids, almost as though he had put on red eyeliner. His black hair was greasy and unwashed and he was wearing a gym shirt that still had sweat-stains on it's underarms and collar. Shun's eyes were haunted with something more than Baron had ever seen, and observing such an effect in the ever-stoic ninja he had known since he was twelve was downright scary.

Having to abandon Dan so close to freedom was taking a terrifying toll on him.

"You're not sure?" Keith repeated, seemingly blind to the turn for the worse his friend had taken. It took all of Baron's self control to not turn to stare at him like he'd grown a second head—and to splutter defensively about his inability to keep tabs on her. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on her?"

"Well, yeah, but she keeps vanishing on me!" Baron protested, somehow managing to keep his voice level and not sound like the whining seven year old he felt like. "You'd think a girl on crutches would be easy to keep track of, but no matter what I do, she just manages to get away from me."

"It's not surprising," Shun said simply. Baron stiffened, briefly afraid that Shun was going to say it was because he was incompetent and confirm his fears. "She knows this place better than anyone except Marucho." Baron relaxed after a moment, still feeling a bit pathetic. "I'll go get her," Shun decided. He hadn't made a suggestion—he'd stated a fact. He was going to get her and nothing was going to stop him.

Still, that didn't mean Baron, with a strangely bruised pride, didn't try.

Just as Shun moved to walk out the door, Baron stepped in front of him, opening his mouth to speak.

The look he gave him was nothing short of death and the words died in his throat. His face expressionless, eyes emotionless, perhaps even listless—it was as unsettling as getting caught in the sightless gaze of a corpse. Only this was the situation in reverse. Baron had heard the humans say that someone's eyes were the windows into the soul, but that couldn't be right, because, right now, Shun's eyes looked dead.

Then his expression flickered, if only for a instant. Something like desperation flashed through his expression. Baron hoped—for the first time, desperately hoped—he was reading him wrong. The thought of Shun being desperate for anything chilled him to the core. Shun was stronger than kevlar, tougher than nails. He could stand up to anything the world threw at him. The mere thought that Shun could feel desperation was enough to stop Baron cold.

But wait.

Shun…Shun felt the same way Baron did!

Anger ignited within the teen. How could Shun feel the same way he did? Shun was the best brawler next to Dan—best brawler, _period_. Not even Spectra could beat Shun, not one-on-one. _No one_ could beat Shun one-on-one when he was at his best—not even Dan. Shun was a master of hand-to-hand combat as well, able to protect others with both his brawling abilities _and_ his ability to fight physically.

Shun was smart, too. He could come up with strategies on the fly to take out any opponent and take positions on a battlefield, from what Baron understood of the Nethian-Gundalian war, especially with Marucho's intellect guiding him. He could pull his own weight and then some, and though his social skills were not exactly his strong point, he could do so much with just a little information.

He understood all the coding that went into operating Bakugan Interspace. He understood even Vestal technology, something _Marucho_ recognized as difficult. He could memorize details on the fly, navigate mazes and foreign lands with ease. He had all the skills Baron wished he had, all the confidence in his abilities and the skill to back up his claims.

What right did he have to feel as useless as Baron did?

Fearing what he might say if Shun stayed any longer, he stepped to the side, allowing the ninja to pass, and pass he did, promptly vanishing into the hallway to roam the building in search of his teammate.

After a moment of silence, Baron, with a carefully controlled voice that sounded strange to his own ears, announced, "I'm gonna go take a nap," and walked out the door.

* * *

><p>Shun found Julie playing a strange type of Solitaire in a disused conference room on the thirty-second floor. She didn't even look up when he walked in—she just continued to stare, unseeingly, at the cards laid out on the table before her. Shun stood in the doorway, watching as she evaluated the cards in her hand with bloodshot eyes and a vacant expression. Dissatisfied with her hand, she placed them down on the table and picked up another three cards, placing a five of clubs on a six of hearts, then setting the torn ace of hearts apart.<p>

"That must be an old deck," Shun commented quietly. Julie blinked, seemingly emerging from her stupor. It took her a few moments to dispel the fog that clouded her eyes and actually see Shun standing before her. She nodded.

"Billy gave it to me," she said softly, moving a four of diamonds supporting a three of spades and two of hearts over to the five of clubs. She then pulled a king of hearts out of a deck on the side and placed it in the empty space. Shun stepped forward to peer at the game.

It was a suicide king.

"Isn't Baron supposed to be watching you?" Shun asked her. She didn't reply, staring at the blood-red king of hearts. Shun scrutinized the card with disinterest at first, at least until he realized why she was so fixated on it. Clothing the king and was a robe of bright orange flames, a robe that wrapped around him and flared up behind him to form the background of the card.

Julie's shoulders shook and Shun sighed as he realized that she was crying. "Shun," her voice trembled, "Shun, it's all my fault." She gulped air and swallowed hard, trying to get control of her voice. The ninja barely kept a lid on his frustration. He did not need this right now, he did not need to deal with an melodramatic Julie right now.

Julie sniffed as her cheeks grew wet. "I should never have let Runo go to Dan's house. I should never have said those things to her! I should never have—never have…" She sobbed. "It's all my fault! It's my fault she left, my fault the Gundalians caught her, my fault that sh-she got h-hypnotized and has all those scars and tried t-t-to, tried to…" She choked again and gasped brokenly for air, her chest heaving violently as she struggled against the tide of emotion that threatened to pull her under. "I never meant-never _meant_ for…" Julie couldn't continue, just buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

All the while, Shun just stood there. He didn't trust his voice, didn't trust even his hands. He was gripping the chair in front of him so tightly that his knuckles were white because he was afraid that if he let go, his fist would wind up somewhere it wasn't meant to be.

There had been a time—a brief time, but still a time—when he and Julie had gotten along rather well. Her naive optimism had contrasted pleasantly with his stoic and silent nature. It wasn't anything serious—how could it be when she had a boyfriend and he no interest in pursuing anything with her?—but it had been an agreeable relationship.

Now, though, she had become insufferable. Just as she was extreme in her eager, effervescent-ness, she was extreme in her self-pity. Losing Dan had been a blow for all of them, one that wounded and hurt like hell but was only a flesh wound. Losing Runo, well, that sure made matters worse, and so did finding out that _Joe_ was being dragged into the situation as well. Runo being turned against them, though…while that wasn't the final blow, that sure crippled Julie.

She kept crying there, just hiccoughing and sniffling and wailing like an abused animal, and Shun couldn't take it.

"Julie," he said in a carefully controlled, indifferent tone, as if he hadn't heard any of her rant, "you need to stay where Baron can keep an eye on you." Her sobs quieted a bit, just enough to hear him speak, and she shot him an anguished look. _Why can't she understand this?_ he inwardly raged. "Julie, there are other things I should be doing than looking for you—things that will help us get Dan back." _You're wasting my time_. He didn't say it, but they both knew that was what he was implying.

She swept up her card game, arranging the cards in a crisp, clean deck. For a moment, it looked like she might actually be listening to him, and for that, Shun allowed himself to feel angry relief. _Finally_.

But then she lifted her eyes to his, absolutely smoldering with rage. "Am I not worth your time?" she snarled. "Just like any and all emotions you couldn't _possibly_ be feeling?" Shun bristled. "Well, _sorry_," she hissed, clearly not sorry in the slightest, "but not everyone has the inhuman ability to completely shut off their emotions and live like a _freaking_ robot!"

"Dammit Julie!" Shun snapped. "Get over yourself! There are more important things than wallowing in your self-pity!"

"Oh? Like what?" she demanded, getting to her own feet, or foot, since her other foot was still encased in plaster. "Eating lunch with Spectra?"

"Don't draw conclusions about things you don't understand!" Shun snarled.

"What don't I understand? What _is_ there to understand?" she asked, her voice raising. "In case you haven't noticed, we aren't _doing_ anything! We _can't_ do anything, there's nothing _to_ do! Go ahead, eat lunch with Spectra; I don't give a crap! How is that any better than what I'm doing?"

"It's actually something _productive_!" the ninja shouted.

"Oh, and what you're doing is productive? Going off on your own for hours to god knows where is _productive_? Working yourself to death and getting blasted in the chest is _productive_?"

"At least I'm doing something! You just sit around and cry all day because Runo got kidnapped by the Gundalians! So. Did. DAN!" Shun threw the chair in front of him to the side so it flew into the others lined up along the table. The collision was punctuated by an explosive bang, one that clearly startled Julie and started her crying again, but Shun didn't care. "Dan has been tortured! He's got scars, Julie! He's not the same! If he was the same, he would have done something stupid and idiotic and reckless, not just… stand there and stare at me with a smile!" He paused, seemingly caught in a moment before he forced away the emotion and replaced it with anger. "Goddammit, Julie, get over yourself! You think you're the only one upset about this? You're not!"

"Neither. Are. YOU!" she screamed around her tears, flinging her deck of cards at him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They simply listened to the fluttering of the falling cards, suddenly taken back to that night so long ago when they fell from the sky. These cards didn't glow with an ethereal light, nor did they fall as slowly as those did back then. These cards wouldn't fly straight when thrown instead of spinning out and diving for the earth in submission to the pull of gravity. These cards wouldn't glow with fire as Dan threw them down.

"You can't break down right now," Julie whimpered as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "We can't lose you, too."

"What are you talking about?" Shun asked, his voice still angry but not quite as biting.

"Runo's down, Shun. Runo's down. Can't you see everyone's slipping? Alice…Alice won't even _talk_ to me anymore. Mira's been in the hospital, Fabia's been in the hospital, you've been in the hospital, Runo's in the hospital, and we still don't have Dan back. Drago's talking less and less every day—did you know Ren's been looking through some of Kazarina's old research notes, looking for a way to keep Drago from getting out of ball form?

"Drago's breaking, Shun. He's breaking. He—we—I think he's…he's actually _considering_…" She appeared nauseated by the mere prospect of voicing her thoughts. She swallowed hard. "Ren…Ren says that Kazarina has…had…this device that…that'll keep a Bakugan in ball form indefinitely. The Vestals have some-something like it. Ace mentioned that, uh…" She wiped her eyes. "When you guys were captured in New Vestrioa, you…you had this pod, and the Bakugan were sealed in a belt of some sort." Shun stared at her stiffly. She took a shaky breath. "He…he wants to make sure that Drago doesn't…doesn't…" She couldn't finish her sentence; just let the words hang in the air, allowing the implications to float there.

"You can't break down. If you break…I don't know what we'll do," Julie whispered. Silence blanketed the room with it's cold, muffling snow, invoking an atmosphere so profound that the pair could hear ringing in their ears. After a few moments in the quiet, Julie sniffed again, and pearls of saltwater plip-plopped onto the table.

Shun let the silence fill the air, partly because he couldn't bring himself to break it, and partly because the lump in his throat was making it hard to breathe. Julie had completely lost that happy-go-lucky side of her, the part of her that kept her positive and bubbly even in the face of adversity. Sure, Shun had seen her at some of her lowest points—namely when she believed Billy had betrayed her—but that couldn't compare to this in any way. Normally, this wouldn't affect him, but everything that she had said…about Drago, whom he had been watching carefully and had noticed the same things about, about the desperate measures they were all being pushed to, about Runo, one of the people Dan cared about most in the world…it was all true.

But that still didn't give her the right to think he didn't have his own demons to wrestle with.

"It's not the same," he said darkly. This time, his voice wasn't angry or biting, but it was dangerous and brooding. "You wouldn't understand." Julie, blinking so her tears fell faster, was at the end of her rope, and having none of it.

"I wouldn't?" she exploded, lifting her livid gaze to meet his apathetic amber eyes. "Why wouldn't I? If you think I can't understand, then make me!"

"Fine!" Shun snapped. He had had enough, too. He snatched her wrist and pulled her to her feet, earning a yelp out of her.

"Shun, I can't—" she protested loudly until he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her as though she were helpless. A brief grimace ran across his face before being wiped away by a cold mask of well-practiced indifference. Within seconds, he had taken her out of the room and to the end of the hallway, then ducked into a stairwell. They were at the bottom before Julie knew what had happened, and then sunlight nearly blinded her.

"Hold on," was all he said, and, out of instinct, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and was instantly glad that she had. Her world was suddenly a blur of green and gray. Wind rushed in her ears and, every few second or so, her body would jolt as Shun's feet slammed into the ground.

The ride continued for at least five minutes—five minutes of cool, damp air rushing over her sloppily-clad person and cutting through her sweatshirt like acid through cotton. At some point, she had buried her face in his neck-it was the only warmth she could find. The longer they moved, the warmer he got, and every so often, he would let out a pained groan-one that he had been unable to stifle. Julie kept quiet, well aware of the reason why and unwilling to break his concentration.

Finally, he came to a stop, breathing hard. Julie could feel his chest heave with each breath and a slight catch in his throat each time, as if he were trying to stifle a grunt. She lifted her head from the warmth of his neck and blinked, startled by the change in scenery.

They were standing in a garden-a traditional Japanese garden, complete with a shallow koi pond with water rushing into a bamboo pipe. It was at the edge of a small bamboo forest and had a gravel stone path leading to a stone step that extended back where it met four marble slabs stacked on top of each other. There was a small platform before it with what appeared to be ashes in a long groove. Tall wooden rectangles were propped up behind it with names engraved in them in Japanese.

It was a grave.

Shun carried her forward along the path past the pond before settling her on the ground before the edge of the pond. She tucked one leg under the other, keeping her casted broken one out. She glanced around in bewilderment at the garden, wondering why Shun had brought her here.

He seemed to have slipped into another world and was completely ignoring her as he approached the monument. His back was to her, so she couldn't see his face, but she noticed that his shoulders were slack as he stepped up onto the white stone platform. An image of a disheartened soldier flew to her mind, someone who was staring into the barrel of a gun as it was pointed at his head. Like someone who had nothing to live for.

It was a dark image and it scared her.

"Shun?" she called softly. He didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge that she had spoken. He simply continued to stare at the stone before him, mesmerized. She swallowed and opened her mouth to try again, but her words caught in her throat when she saw his hand come up and rest on the wooden plank at the forefront of the group. She frowned in confusion and stared at the name, partially hidden by Shun's hand, and tried to put sounds to the Japanese characters. He knelt before the monument and produced a stick of incense and a small box of matches. He lit a match and then set fire to the incense, allowing it to burn for a brief time before blowing it out, leaving it to slowly release it's fragrance into the air. He pressed his hands in front of his chest in a position of prayer, and Julie glanced back at the plank to read the name.

"風見 栞"

"Kaze...Kazami..." she murmured, recognizing his family name, "Shiori?"

"Shiori Kazami," Shun said emotionlessly, not moving from his prayer. "My mom."

Julie's jaw dropped, her mind wiped blank. His mother's grave? His mother was dead? Shun didn't say anything at first and, after a few moments of silence, she squirmed uncomfortably. "She died a while ago. She...she was sick for a while."

Julie didn't say anything. What even _could_ she say? She had no idea.

Shun let the silence continue for a few moments. "Every year," he said finally, again not looking up from his prayer, "we clean the gravestones of our ancestors. It's a Japanese tradition. There are buckets and brushes in a shed near the dojo." She suddenly realized that she was at Shun's house, but, again, wasn't sure what to say, so stayed quiet.

Shun sighed, stood, and bowed to the grave, and then turned to look at Julie. His eyes were steely but emotionless and his face blank. The only evidence that something was going on were the dark circles beneath his eyes and the reddish tint his sclera showed. He looked away, staring off into the distance. "Ever since my mom died, Dan has come with me every year to help. I can't do it by myself." Julie blinked.

Shun licked his lips. "Dan was there when my mom died." Julie started and her lips parted in surprise. Shun closed his eyes. "I knew she was dying. We had been battling and when we finished, we went to the hospital. She took my hand and..." He paused. "And then she was gone."

"When did she die?" Julie asked softly.

"About a month after the cards fell." Julie did the math in her head. So that was almost four years ago...

Four years ago almost _to the date._

Her stomach dropped and her blood ran cold as the realization sank in. _That_ was why. That was why he was so unapproachable, so cold and unreachable. Not only had he lost his best friend and watched him sacrifice himself while he could do nothing, but he had also lost his one support during his own personal hell.

And through it all, he just kept silent and focused on saving his friend, no matter what it cost him-his health, his happiness, even his other friends. Dan was who meant the most to him.

"Oh my god," Julie whispered. She felt horrible. She had been so horrible to him, so, so horrible... "I am so sorry, Shun. I had no idea..."

"It's fine," he said stiffly. "Dan was the only one who knew. He came with me to all the vigil days after her death; the wake, the funeral, everything." He didn't look at her. "He dressed in white with my grandfather and I."

"White?"

"It's an old custom. Not many people follow it anymore. But Dan did it for me. He was the only one who understood." He sighed. "He was the best friend I could have."

"Not 'was'," Julie denied, shaking her head. "No, there is no way he's dead."

"Not yet," Shun murmured.

"No!" Julie shouted. "He is not going to die!"

"You don't know that!" Shun yelled. He whirled on her. "Julie, you didn't see him! You didn't see what he looked like! You didn't see his eyes..." His voice cracked, caught in his throat by an invisible hook. He swallowed, his face scrunched up in angry pain, as if he was trying to hold back tears. "He was prepared to _die_," he said hoarsely. "He held a piece of glass to his throat, Julie. He slit his wrists. For us!"

He opened his anguished eyes to take in Julie's horrified expression, shrunken pupils and nauseated green tinged cheeks. "He's prepared to die," he whispered, tears bubbling over. He dropped to his knees, sobbing softly. "And I can't do anything!" He choked on a breath and gasped in despair. "He never did anything to deserve this," he coughed. "Why? Why are they doing this?"

He continued to cry quietly, whimpering every so often, while Julie did the only thing she knew could help. She crawled over to where Shun was kneeling, keeping her broken foot off the ground, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He stiffened at first, unsure of how to respond to her touch, but when her arms tightened in desperation around his shoulders, he yielded. His torso shook with the effort of containing his sorrow, but when the sky opened up above them and poured out it's own tears, he just couldn't keep it together anymore.

The pair sat there together, friends struggling to keep each other afloat within their river of tears.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh...Okay. So that's done. I think? I have to consult my outline again. *checks* Okay, yeah, it's done! (It wasn't originally supposed to be Julie, but I decided against using the person I had initially chosen. I like this version better than the other anyway; the other was WAY too cliche, you have no idea… x_x) Also, a comment on Shun breaking down. Wow, I did not expect that to be as startling to write as it was. I don't like him being all upset! IT'S UNSETTLING! SHUUUUN...<strong>

**ANYWAY! Guess what?! IT'S DECEMBER! That means consistent updates again! Yay!**

**So, some of you may have heard that I'm going to be working with JetravenEx do create a spinoff of her Dual Dimensions series. In it, some of her characters are going to run through various stories on and basically wreck havoc and derail any semblance of the original plotline :D I gave her permission to have some of her characters run through Ultimatum, but, obviously, they're not actually going to run through this story. There will be a spinoff story that she posts and that I will be advising her on. While what she plays around with will not be canon with Ultimatum, it will provide character development for Cassie and the Caretakers. I've been meaning to give them a bit of a character arc, since I don't want them all to just sort of exist faceless and only by name. However, there has been little room to provide that development in the plot of Ultimatum. There will be a bit concerned with them before the end, but this should give me an idea of what their personalities are like before I push them all to their limits.**

**That and maybe a Christmas oneshot that will just be focused on character development. Who knows what may happen during the coming weeks?  
>Looks like I'm going to be learning time management this month.<br>Oh, I turned 17 on Nov 29! So yay! I'm 17! Time to relish the less-than-a-year I have left of being a child. Oh my gami-kai. I'm gonna be an adult... x_x**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR READING! I LOVE YOU ALL! Sorry, Mana, for the long gaps (sorry, everyone, for the long gaps x_x). And, yes, there is a Spectra and Mylene meet-up scheduled for the near future! **

**Y a Invitado, ¡MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS POR LEER MI CUENTO! No, es la tercera vez; la primera fue en el estadio en Bakugan Interspace y la segunda fue en el dormitorio de Rin. La primera no fue muy claro; lo siento. Me sorprendió, porque voy a hacer algo con recuerdos en algunas capítulos más tardes. No es para Dan, pero… ¡Espero que sea agradable! ¿Oh, y el beso? Hehe, vamos a ver... Vamos a ver… ^_^**

**Anyway, back to English...Uh...Review?**


End file.
